| Shaping a goddess |
| Kavita Chowdhury / New Delhi October 02, 2011, 0:53 IST |
For over a century, sculptors from a congested colony in Kolkata have been breathing life into clay, wood and straw.
You could drive past it blissfully unaware of the divine beings taking shape in its nondescript bylanes, but to a keen observer Kumartuli, or the 'potters colony', in north Kolkata is a haven of 'earthly delight'.
For over a century, the sculptors called "Pals" have breathed life into the clay (ganga maati) from the adjoining Ganga, metamorphosing it into idols of innumerable gods from the Hindu pantheon. The buzz in this potters' colony now is around Durga Puja — the celebrations for the mother goddess's annual homecoming. The majestic Durga images before which awestruck devotees bow their heads are sculpted under the blue tarpaulin-covered cramped tin sheds.
Babu Pal who has been an artisan at Kumartuli for over 18 years says, "I have been doing this for as long as I can remember; since I was eight." Elaborating on his expertise, he says, "This skill has been handed down through generations. As a child learns the Bengali alphabet gradually over the years, I too have mastered my art over the years guided by my father."
It's amazing how as many as 250 units with 9,000 skillful artisans have found space in these dingy, inaccessible lanes. Peeking out from one of these tin sheds is a bundled straw image tied to a wooden frame — it's in the first stage of idol-making. The basic structure which gives shape to the magnificent idol comprises only wood, straw and rope.
It's only in the second stage that clay is applied gradually in layers. The headless idol is then left to dry and the cracks that appear on the drying clay are carefully smoothed over. The quintessential charm of Kumartuli's lanes is that it's only here that can one bump into a potbellied Ganesha or a charming Kartick astride his peacock basking in the sun.
While traditional methods of idol-making have largely remained unchanged, subtle modifications have crept in. The increasing demand for Durga idols, not just for the domestic market but for community pujas abroad, has now led to the adoption of certain factory-like production techniques. The head of the goddess, along with the palms and feet, is fashioned out of moulds which are separately attached to the image and left to dry. The idol is first painted in white and then coated in yellow.
Finally, the eyes, which is a very specialised skill, are painted on the idol.Chakshudaan, as it is called, is the preserve of only a few gifted artisans. Bimol Mistry, 25, hails from the deltaic Sunderbans, while most artisans in Kumartuli come from Krishnanagar and Nabadwip, the traditional crafts hub of Bengal. Mistry says, "Iwas passionate about clay work and used to make terracotta objects back home. Two years ago, when I came to Kolkata I started painting the eyes, something which the seniors take years to master."
With time, the goddess' garments and ornamentation too have undergone changes. Instead of expensive silk sarees draping the goddess, puja organisers are now making do with synthetic ones. Krishna Chandra Pal, a decades' old trader of idol accessories, says that the traditional white shola pith jewellery for the idols has been replaced with "rolex jori" (synthetic zari). From the crown to the garlands, everything on display in his shop has been crafted by hand by housewives in Krishnanagar. "Depending upon your budget, you can get anything, from a simple cardboard sequined mukut (crown) to an elaborate double-decker one," says Pal.
While an entire Durga idol, with its ten hands astride a lion slaying the demon Mahishasura, can be completed in seven days, heavy monsoon showers like this year's can be troublesome. Artisans then have to dry the wet clay idols under fans. Along with clay idols, a few units in Kumartuli have started making 'fibre idols', a new innovation where chemicals are poured inside a prefabricated dice; the final product is a goddess with a polished, glistening look.
Seventy four-year-old Kartick Pal's words resonate with significance as he races against time to get the idols ready to be carted onto the pandals before 'Sasthi'. "Aamra manush toh noi bhoot" (we aren't humans now, we are spirits) — they truly are unworldly spirits imbuing life into ordinary clay.
Durga Puja History
Legend of creation of Goddess Durga
Goddess Durga represents the unification of all the divine forces to overpower the evil spirits. To fight with the demon Mahishasur, the gods decided to create a real powerful force. At that moment, it happened that a lightening came forth from the mouths of the three Hindu Gods, namely Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, giving rise to a gorgeous woman having ten hands. The deities supplied her with their weapons, thus giving her all the powers of universe.
Legend of Lord Rama
According to the epic Ramayana, Lord Ram performed the chandi puja, so as to seek the divine blessings of Goddess Durga. He did so for killing Ravana, the devil king of Lanka who had kidnapped his wife Sita. Goddess Durga secretly told him that he can kill Ravana. In the war between Rama and Ravana, Lord Rama succeeded in defeating the devil and returned to his kingdom along with his wife Sita and younger brother Lakshman.
Legend of Pandavas
According to the great Indian epic Mahabharta, the Pandavas wandered in the forests for a long period of 12 years. They kept their weapons on a Shami tree before leaving for the court of king Virat, where they spent their last one year in disguise. On the completion of that one year, which happened on the day of Vijayadashmi, i.e. Dussehra, they brought down the weapons that they had kept on the Shami tree. On this day, they came forward and revealed their true identity. Since then, this day is celebrated as Vijaydashmi or Dusshera and involves the exchange of Shami leaves as a symbol of victory and goodness.
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga_PujaDurga puja also referred to as Durgotsava (Bengali: দুর্গোৎসব, 'Festival of Durga'), is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu ...
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Kolkata, October 01, 2011
Last Updated: 13:01 IST(1/10/2011)
The leaders say their association spreads a message of religious harmony.
Sports Minister Madan Mitra, who organises the Agradut and Uday Sangha Puja at Bhowanipore, said the festival was more of a social and cultural event than a religious one.
Mitra through his Puja hopes to convey the importance of agriculture and villages with the theme titled 'Maa Maati Manush', a pet slogan of chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
So might ministerial participation lead to misuse of the pujas or weaken the secular fabric?
Public health engineering minister Subrata Mukherjee, the guiding force of South Kolkata's Ekdalia Evergreen Puja, told IANS: "I have been attached with this puja since my childhood and being a minister does not make any difference. When it comes to the committee I am just an ordinary member."
It has a budget of Rs 40 lakh.
"It would also be wrong to say that my association goes against secularism. I am equally active when it comes to celebrating Eid or Christmas. Moreover Durga Puja is no more confined to Hindus."
South Kolkata's Chetla Agrani Club, which is endorsing communal harmony with its marquee shaped as a mosque and a temple, has municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim as president.
"What better example of secularism is possible than a Muslim hosting a Hindu Puja? For me and my people, the puja is not a religious occasion, but rather a festival which is celebrated by all, irrespective of religion," said Hakim.
Industries minister Partha Chatterjee is the patron of South Kolkata's Naktala Udayan Sangha Puja, which has seemingly left many of its rivals behind in terms of grandeur.
Chatterjee, however, claims his ministerial duties have prevented him for helping the puja organisers.
"I am totally engrossed in my work. It would be unfair to the people if I spend time in the Puja rather than doing my job. But I do miss the time I used to spend in pandals, when young."
New Alipore's big bang Suruchi Sangha Puja may not boast of a ministerial organiser but in Arup Biswas, it does have a star legislator as president.
"Doesn't secularism mean one has the right to practise and promote one's own religion? Being a Hindu don't I have the right to organise a puja? There is no harm is celebrating, so long as I am not harming anyone's religious feelings," reasoned Biswas.
Biswas too said his club did not enjoy any advantage by virtue of his being a lawmaker.
However, political analyst Sabyasachi Basu Roy feels the other way.
"In my opinion, a political personality should stay away from religious events in the public domain. It certainly goes against the secular fabric of the country. Of course, they have the right to follow and propagate their religion and belief but ideally as a leader they should not paint themselves in any particular religious colour."
He also said with a leader on their side, the organisers may avail themselves of undue advantages. "They may tend to flout electricity norms or spatial guidelines or claim unjustified benefits which the authorities might refrain from challenging."
Unlike the incumbents, the CPI-M leaders and ministers, who are officially atheists, seldom participated in any public religious ceremony, though there were instances of late maverick leader Subhas Chakraborty offering puja at the famous Shiva temple in Tarakeshwar.
Former housing minister and Communist Party of India leader Gautam Deb feels it is unbecoming of a minister to spend huge money on religion.
"In the name of religion, they are collecting and spending millions of rupees. It is most unbecoming of them. The money instead could be put to better use and welfare of the public."
Five-day Durga Puja celebrations start Sunday. As per police estimates, the number of pujas organised this year in the city and the surroundings will be close to 2,500.
Durga Puja Customs
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Rituals & Customs Of Durga Pooja
Maha Shashti
According to the mythology, Goddess Durga arrives to the mortal world from her heavenly adobe, with her children. Her arrival on earth is welcomed by the devotees with much fanfare, amidst the beats of dholak. The main ritual carried on this day is the unveiling of the face of the idol of Goddess Durga. The rituals of Bodhon, Amontron and Adibas are performed before the commencement of the puja.
Maha Saptami
With the first rays of the sun on Maha Saptami (the seventh day), a tree is dressed as the Goddess Durga herself in yellow silk cloth with a red border. The tree deemed to be the Goddess then becomes the spotlight attraction for the rest of the festival. The priest carries the tree in a grand procession to the Durga Puja pandal (big tent) accompanied by the drummers to welcome the Goddess. A platform is set up with an idol of Lord Ganesha already seated there.
The tree-goddess is then installed beside the God of good fortune and then worshipped. The Kola Bow or Nabapatrika receives a holy bath, which is performed well before the dawn, on saptami. In this ritual, nine types of plants are worshipped as a symbol of Goddess Durga. Kalparambho and Mahasnan are preceded by the mahasaptami puja.
Maha Ashtami
The next day or Ashtami was traditionally the buffalo sacrifice day to commemorate the victory of the Goddess over the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. However, there are no more sacrifices on the day, except for a few incidents that may occur at the orthodox villages in the remotest areas but the Indian government and the modern wave of animal love and compassion discourage them too.
The devotees of Goddess Durga start the celebrations of Maha Ashtami with the recital of Sanskrit hymns in community puja pandals. They offer anjali to the deity. The worship of little girls, called 'kumari puja, is the main attraction of the day. In the evening, Sandhi puja is conducted, which marks the inter-linking of the Maha Ashtami with Maha Navami.
Maha Navami
Maha Navami, the ninth day, is the main day of Durga Puja. The day begins after the end of Sandhi puja. 'Maha Arti' that is considered a formal end of religious customs. Merriment, music and dance fill the rest of the day. On Maha Navami, the navami bhog is offered to the deity. This food takes the shape of Prasad, which is partaken by the devotees.
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/durga-puja/durga-puja-customs.html
Durga Puja Mythology: Rama's 'Akal Bodhan'
Durga Puja is celebrated every year in the Hindu month of Ashwin (September-October) and commemorates Prince Rama's invocation of the goddess before going to war with the demon king Ravana. This autumnal ritual was different from the conventional Durga Puja, which is usually celebrated in the springtime. So, this Puja is also known as 'akal-bodhan' or out-of-season ('akal') worship ('bodhan'). Thus goes the story of Lord Rama, who first worshipped the 'Mahishasura Mardini' or the slayer of the buffalo-demon, by offering 108 blue lotuses and lighting 108 lamps, at this time of the year.
The First Durga Puja in Bengal
The first grand worship of Goddess Durga in recorded history is said to have been celebrated in the late 1500s. Folklores say the landlords orzamindar of Dinajpur and Malda initiated the first Durga Puja in Bengal. According to another source, Raja Kangshanarayan of Taherpur or Bhabananda Mazumdar of Nadiya organized the first Sharadiya or Autumn Durga Puja in Bengal in c 1606.
The 'Baro-Yaari' Puja and Beginning of Mass Celebration
The origin of the community puja can be credited to the twelve friends of Guptipara in Hoogly, West Bengal, who collaborated and collected contributions from local residents to conduct the first community puja called the 'baro-yaari' puja or the 'twelve-pal' puja in 1790. The baro-yaari puja was brought to Kolkata in 1832 by Raja Harinath of Cossimbazar, who performed the Durga Puja at his ancestral home in Murshidabad from 1824 to 1831, notes Somendra Chandra Nandy in 'Durga Puja: A Rational Approach' published in The Statesman Festival, 1991.
Origin of 'Sarbajanin Durga Puja' or Community Celebration
"The baro-yaari puja gave way to the sarbajanin or community puja in 1910, when the Sanatan Dharmotsahini Sabha organized the first truly community puja in Baghbazar in Kolkata with full public contribution, public control and public participation. Now the dominant mode of Bengali Durga Puja is the 'public' version," write M. D. Muthukumaraswamy and Molly Kaushal in Folklore, Public Sphere, and Civil Society. The institution of the community Durga Puja in the 18th and the 19th century Bengal contributed vigorously to the development of Hindu Bengali culture.
British Involvement in Durga Puja
The research paper further indicates that "high level British officials regularly attend Durga Pujas organized by influential Bengalis and British soldiers actually participate in the pujas, have prasad, and even salute the deity, but 'the most amazing act of worship was performed by the East India Company itself: in 1765 it offered a thanksgiving Puja, no doubt as a politic act to appease its Hindu subjects, on obtaining the Diwani of Bengal'. (Sukanta Chaudhuri, ed.Calcutta: the Living City, Vol. 1: The Past) And it is reported that even the Company auditor-general John Chips organized Durga Puja at his Birbhum office. In fact, the full official participation of the British in the Durga Puja continued till 1840, when a law was promulgated by the government banning such participation."
Durga Puja Comes to Delhi
In 1911, with the shifting of the capital of British India to Delhi, many Bengalis migrated to the city to work in government offices. The first Durga Puja in Delhi was held in c. 1910, when it was performed by ritually consecrating the 'mangal kalash,' symbolizing the deity. This Durga Puja, which celebrates its centennial in 2009, is also known as the Kashmere Gate Durga Puja currently organized by the Delhi Durga Puja Samiti in the lawns of Bengali Senior Secondary School, Alipur Road, Delhi.
Evolution of the 'Pratima' and the 'Pandal'
The traditional icon of the goddess worshiped during the Durga Puja is in line with the iconography delineated in the scriptures. In Durga, the Gods bestowed their powers to co-create a beautiful goddess with ten arms, each carrying their most lethal weapon. The tableau of Durga also features her four children - Kartikeya, Ganesha, Saraswati andLakshmi. Traditional clay image of Durga or pratima made of clay with all five gods and goddesses under one structure is known as 'ek-chala' ('ek' = one, 'chala' = cover).
There are two kinds of embellishments that are used on clay - sholar saaj and daker saaj. In the former, the pratima is traditionally decorated with the white core of the shola reed which grows within marshlands. As the devotees grew wealthier, beaten silver (rangta) was used. The silver used to be imported from Germany and was delivered by post (dak). Hence the name daker saaj.
The huge temporary canopies - held by a framework of bamboo poles and draped with colorful fabric - that house the icons are called 'pandals'. Modern pandals are innovative, artistic and decorative at the same time, offering a visual spectacle for the numerous visitors who go 'pandal-hopping' during the four days of Durga Puja.
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- http://hinduism.about.com/od/durgapuja/a/durga_puja_history.htm
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History of Durga Puja
Durga Puja also known as Durgotsab is an annual Hindu festival which celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess of power, Durga or Shakti. It is a nine days affair in which last six days are observed with complex rituals and intricate ceremonies as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Bijoya Dashami. The dates of Durga Puja celebrations are decided according to traditional Hindu calendar and generally fall between the months of September to November according to the Gregorian calendar. It is extensively celebrated in the Northern and Eastern states of India- West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Tripura. Apart from these places states like Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir, Karnataka and Kerala also enthusiastically participate in the festival.
Durga Pooja has always been an integral part of the Hindu culture. However, the origin of public celebrations of grand Durga Puja can be traced back to the 16th century. With the ascent of the Mughals, Durga Puja became more of a status symbol in those days. Grand celebrations, gala feasts and huge fan fare was part of the very first 'Sharadiya Durgotsab' festivals organized by Raja Kangshanarayan of Taherpur and Bhabananda Mazumdar of Nadiya in 1606. Annual festival of Durga Puja soon became the most celebrated festival and as a day for merriment with friends, relatives, neighbors and acquaintances. Opulence and extravagance became an inseparable part among the powerful and rich Bengalis. However, there were people who celebrated Durga Puja on their household level in a traditional manner, which were characterized by much more devotion and sentiments attached to the festival than the mere show off of the richer and more prosperous people.
Some of the households have been holding these celebrations for more than 250 years now and take pride in the fact of how old is their traditional worshipping set up. With time many cultural performances and shows became attached to Durga Puja for entertainment and religious purposes such as colorful procession known as 'Jatra', puppet dance, Kobi gaan (a type of songs), Kirtan or devotional songs and magic shows that are the favorites of the children and adults alike. Earlier, animal and even human sacrifices were very common on the eighth day of the festival but eventually; this tradition has now become obsolete. There was an additional custom of 'Baroyari' meaning a group of twelve friends that originated in 1790 in Guptipara in Hoogly in Bengal. It is also known as 'Sarbojanin puja'. Today, it has reached the masses of West Bengal and we can witness innumerable small-scale and grand-scale community pujas, flooded with funds with huge pandals and affluent décor. However, some people also believe that this lavishness mars the sanctity of the festival.
Dashami is the last day of Durga Puja, when a tearful farewell is offered to the deity. This process is called Visarjan, wherein a grand send-off is arranged by the devotees. The idol of Goddess Durga, amidst a long procession of devotees, is brought to the nearest river or lake, to immerse it. This event is also called Vijaya Dashami.
Massive girls trafficking racket busted
Massive girls trafficking racket busted
DEVESH K. PANDEYAn alleged human trafficker, who is suspected to have smuggled hundreds of girls from different parts of West Bengal in the past few years on the pretext of their placement as domestic helps in the Capital, has been arrested in Najafgarh here. While five minor girls were rescued from him, the police are on the lookout for more victims and two human traffickers.
Accused Nemai Sardar (33) had been running one Alo Domestic Service at Jay Vihar in Najagarh. He has allegedly been operating for the past several years and earlier ran the agency in Naraina, but had recently shifted base to evade detection. The accused, against whom several cases are registered in West Bengal, was wanted for the past five years.
Following a tip-off, a West Bengal Police team in coordination with the Delhi Police Crime Branch and non-government organisation Shakti Vahini mounted a raid at his three-storey building and arrested him. The five girls who had been brought from 24 North Parganas were fo-und locked up in one of the rooms.
The operation was carried out on the direction of the Calcutta High Court on a habeas corpus petition moved by the mother of a minor girl who went missing from South 24 Parganas last year. The girl is yet to be traced. She was smuggled out through a human trafficking network of which Nemai was allegedly a part. "Two more accused in the case, Rajesh and Sushma, are absconding," said a raiding team member. Raids were earlier conducted in neighbouring Ghaziabad in coordination with the local police, but Rajesh and Sushma remained untraced.
Rishi Kant of Shakti Vahini said one Raju, who had brought the five rescued girls, is also at large. "Two of the victims had been brought on board Kalka Mail the day the operation was conducted, whereas the other three had been working for the past 18 months purportedly without any salary. Two of them earlier worked in Noida and the third in Jaipur. As news of their whereabouts reached their parents, they approached the local police to lodge complaint," he said.
Nemai purportedly confessed to having brought the girl the police were looking for. "However, he claimed that she went missing from her employer's house," said Mr. Kant, adding that the girls being brought by the traffickers were later not allowed to contact their parents back home.
During interrogation, Nemai allegedly disclosed that when he entered into the trade in 2000, he would get Rs.2,500 per girl as his cut. "He had now been getting a commission of Rs.10,000 per placement. He said his agency was registered," Mr. Kant added.
The accused was produced in a Dwarka court that granted three days' transit remand to the police, which took him to West Bengal on Friday. After medical examination, the five victims were produced before the Child Welfare Committee that sent them to a shelter home.
Stating that trafficking of children from Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar for placement as domestic helps has become rampant, Mr. Kant said Delhi had emerged not only as a destination but also as a transit point for placement of such girls in the National Capital Region.
"In the absence of any legislation for regulating placement agencies, they are being registered as sole proprietorship, partnership and under the Shops and Establishment Act, and also as NGOs. The Delhi High Court had last year directed the Labour Department to register placement agencies. The High Court, in an elaborate order, had suggested that the registration process should not only be for agencies located in Delhi but also for all agencies who were placing women and children in houses located in Delhi," Mr. Kant added.
D-Day countdown starts at barir pujos
TNN | Oct 1, 2011, 11.24AM ISTKOLKATA: Organisers of Pujas at nearly 260 housing complexes around Kolkata have only a couple of days more for D-Day. Come Saptami morning and judges of The Times of India Pujo Barir Shera Pujo 2011 contest will pay a call to shortlist the possible winners. On Ashtami morning, there will be another round of judging, this time by celebrity judges and the results will be out by evening.
"We have our hearts in our mouths. Last year, we won a judges' award. This year, we have worked much harder. We hope the judges like our Puja. Every resident has put in effort," an organiser said.
At most apartments, the idols have arrived. "We have worked out everything. There will be several surprise items this year. On Sunday evening, we shall have a mela within the complex. Residents will put up stalls and sell home-cooked food. There will be music and dance to kick-start the celebrations this year," another organiser said.
With commercialisation setting in and apartment complexes coming up, the true flavour of the Pujas had gone missing a few years ago. Most apartment Pujas were little more than a customary gesture with residents preferring to spend their time elsewhere. The TOI Pujo Barir Shera Pujo changed all this 10 years ago.
"We are grateful to The Times of India for making the younger generation realise that the Pujas can be a lot of fun. Till a few years ago, children were least interested in getting involved in the arrangements. They would be happy going from pandal to pandal, appreciating others' efforts. Today, everybody wants to pitch in," an organiser said.
The Times of India Pujo Barir Shera Pujo 2011 that is being presented by State Bank of India in association with National Insurance Co. Ltd & Concast, powered by Aircel and supported by Sun-kwik Home Appliances. The outdoor partner is Enkon. The total prize money is Rs 5 lakh. In Category-I, the first prize in Rs 1 lakh and the second prize is Rs 50,000. There are five judges' awards of Rs 10,000 each. The winners of Category-II walk away with Rs 50,000 and the runners-up Rs 25,000. There are five judges' awards of Rs 5,000 each. In addition to this, there are 50 special appreciation awards of Rs 4,000 each.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/10193567.cms
Durga Puja: Time for Bengalis to get soaked in devotion
TNN | Oct 1, 2011, 10.05AM ISTCHANDIGARH: Durga Puja on Shashti, i.e. October 2, is the next festival which is being awaited with much enthusiasm and devotion. Since the festival is only a day away, preparations have started in full swings. Many pandals will be set up around the city in different sectors, including Kali Badi, Sector 47, Banga Bhawan in Sector 35 and Parshuram Bhawan in Sector 37.
Talking about the festival's importance, Ginia Das, a Bengali who has been living in the city for five years, said, "Durga Puja begins from the first Navaratra and is called Mahalaya. The main five day puja will start from Sunday and is called Shasthi. Then will follow Saptami puja on October 3, Maha Ashtami puja on October 4, Maha Navmi puja on October 5 and Vijaya Dashmi on October 6. It is one of the most important festivals for Bengalis and is celebrated with fun and gaiety. After the five-day puja, Visarjan is held on the sixth day."
She said it is believed that on Saptami, Goddess Durga arrives on earth along with her children Laxmi, Ganesh, Kartikey and Saraswati. Earth is considered as her maternal house and on Vijaya Dashmi, she is sent back to her husband's house. In Kali Badi temple, special arrangements have been made to make the pandal look special. Nilkantha Das from Kali Bari administration said, "This time the pandal will look very different as we have called special people from Kolkata to make the pandal."
To add colours to the festival, various cultural programmes and activities like drawing and painting competitions will be organized in different pandals. Bengali bhog will be another treat for city-based Bengali and non-Bengali residents.
"The 'maha bhog' is offered by women and later distributed among devotees as it is considered auspicious. The bhog will mainly offer khichri and kheer as they are considered very auspicious. Besides, khichri and mixed vegetables will be prepared every day," said Nilkantha. The feast will be offered at every pandal around the city. Talking about the difference between the celebration in Chandigarh and back home, he said, "In Tirupati, women who prepare bhog shave-off their heads whereas here they buy new clothes and wear them while preparing the bhog as an expression of devotion."
Basundhara, another Bengali in city said, "The puja is the same here as it is back home but the gathering is much less. But one thing that I miss the most is the 10-day break we used to get, starting from Mahalaya. During holidays, we were able to devote full time to goddess Durga but here there is work to take care of the next day." Basundhara has been in Chandigarh for 10 years and has been performing in various cultural activities held at pandals.
There is also a belief that this year, Goddess Durga will arrive on an elephant and depart on a palanquin. Her arrival on elephant signifies good harvest while her departure on a palanquin signifies outbreak of epidemic.
Palki's collection on Durga Puja
TNN | Sep 27, 2011, 11.07AM IST
That's what Lata Harlalka, of Palki, had in mind when she hosted Autumn Rhapsody on a Sunday night at The HHI. Palki aims to connect traditions with trends through age-old crafts and contemporary cuts.
Fashion was thus weaved in with music as Riddhi Bandopadhyay and Nabonita Chatterjee rendered pujo melodies in their inimitable styles. The evening, then, belonged to tussars with woven benarasi borders and majestic benarasis in cream and white. The colours of autumn were splashed on a plethora of lehengas and saris that marked the glittering finale.
Welcome rain for herb worshipper | ||
| caleidoscope | ||
Theme-makers across the city may be a worried lot, what with the daily showers jeopardising their preparations for Durga Puja, but Bapai Sen can't stop grinning. The man from Lake Gardens had made his plans with an eye on the sky. "The more it rains the easier it makes things for me," he smiles. All the three pandals that he is in charge of have vegetation as their key element. At 64 Palli Puja Parishad, on Manoharpukur Road, he has planted saplings of 80 types of medicinal plants. "All of them — sandalwood, spinach, rudraksha, brahmi, chirota and nayantara — are growing so well in the rain. I am even growing paddy on slices of bamboo poles on the pandal walls," he says. Once a chain-smoker, he had kicked the butt with help from ayurveda. "Extracts of banana leaf and half a spoon of haritaki worked helped me get rid of my addiction." He will be advertising the benefits of each of the medicinal plants through attached posters at the pandal. "Did you know Nayantara is good for blood cancer and high blood pressure?" he asks. At a Moore Avenue puja, he is growing ladies' finger, pumpkin and other vegetables to depict rural Bengal. It is here that the rain is helping him the most. At Chittaranjan Smriti Mandir, near Kadamtala, he has grown a field of paddy. "The iron content in the Howrah water is too high. The rain water is working better," he says. Agdum bagdum Agdum bagdum ghoradum saje/ Dhak mridang jhajhor bajey/ Bajtey bajtey chollo duli/ Duli chollo kamlapuri…Organisers of the Shibmandir Durga puja, near Southern Avenue, have done some serious thinking over this nursery rhyme, as is evident from their invitation card. Dum, of agdum bagdum, it points out, derives from the Sanskritdomoh, which has given rise to the colloquial dom. Members of the caste cremate, are skilled at playing musical instruments and create bamboo products like the framework of the idols. In the Raj era, they were also employed as guards by zamindars. "Our puja is a tribute to the community," said secretary Partho Ghosh. What about the musical instruments named in the rhyme? "They will greet visitors to our pandal," Ghosh promises. | ||
(Contributed by Sudeshna Banerjee. Picture by author |
Spotted walking the ramp were theatre personality Dolly Basu, elocutionist Sutapa Bandopadhyay, danseuse Rubena Chatterjee and social worker Tulika Das among others. The guests were treated to a lavish Bengali spread after the show. Truly, Autumn Rhapsody was a toast to those who aspire to wield their sartorial powers this Durga Puja.
Durga Puja
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The festival of Durga Puja is celebrated for ten days including the last day when the idol of the Goddess is immersed in a sacred water body. The fresh and cool air of the pleasant winters, the clear skies, mildly fragrant Shiuli (a type of flower), the bountiful harvest in the fields and chanting of mantras and shlokas to worship Shakti, all collectively set up the scene for the ten-day long festival of Durga Puja. The preparations of cleaning and beautifying the homes, buying gifts for friends and relatives, and shopping for new clothes for the celebrations are all done and dealt with a good time before the festival. Mouth-watering delicacies are also prepared for the period of festivities.
However, Durga Puja festival is not merely religious in nature. With time, it has acquired the status of the biggest social event of the region as Bengalis use this time to socialize and make big plans for the four days of Durga Puja. Dances and performances are organized, while feasts and music take over the festive spirit of the city. It is also the time for the teens and youths to catch up on the latest fashion trends, designer clothes, trendy footwear, and catchy accessories. Businessmen certainly cash in on the festival offering sales, discounts, free gifts to customers, thereby further jazzing up the spirits of the people. Shopping spree and traditional Bengali sweets help to loosen up the festive side of the people. In short, Durga Puja is not only for the transition from the dull to a life of fun and gaiety but also to share this joy and happiness with friends and relatives.
Durga Puja Calendar 2011
The calendar or samay suchi for Durga Puja, along with the timings, is as follows:
1st October 2011 - Panchami
2nd October 2011 - Shashti
3rd October 2011 - Saptami
4th October 2011 - Ashtami
5th October 2011 - Navami
6th October 2011 - Vijaya Dashmi
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Debasree's 2011 Durga Puja Fashion Collection - YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1hoyxkb0b84 Sep 2011 - 7 min - Uploaded by utsavlivedotcom
Durga Puja 2010 Fashion in Kolkataby calcuttatubevideos3256 views; Thumbnail 10:08. Add to. Dreamz India Presents Aneek For 2011 ...
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Indian Festival - Durga Puja 2011, Kolkata at youtube - YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P74eq3nvSg413 Oct 2010 - 10 min - Uploaded by ocp4etf
Kolkata Durga Puja 2010by Kanchanmoni2634 views · Thumbnail 0:10. Add to. DURGA PUJA 2011by azzu60155 views · Thumbnail 2:39 ...
- Fashion News – Source : Times of India, Kolkata.
- Pamper your senses – Source : Times of India, Kolkata.
- ONE-SHOULDER WONDER – Source : Times of India, Kolkata.
- Fab Fashion for 1000 – Source : Times of India, Kolkata.
- Coloured skinnies
Available in various shades to match your mood, these denims are the flavour of the season – Source : Times of India, Kolkata.
- Trendy & Traditional. – Source : The Telegraph, Kolkata.
- Trendy & Traditional. – Source : The Telegraph, Kolkata.
- Wow wardrobe for Puja. – Source : The Times of India, Kolkata.
- Spot the seven trends. – Source : The Telegraph, Kolkata.
- Canvas & couture. – Source : The Telegraph, Kolkata.
- From ethnic to sexy & classic Tracing the evolution of fashionable blouses.– Source : The Times of India, Kolkata.
- Silk route. – Source : The Telegraph, Kolkata.
- Warp and weft. – Source : The Telegraph, Kolkata.
- News – Source : Sangbad Pratidin, Kolkata.
- http://www.durga-pujas.com/puja_fashion/2011/p_f_2011.shtml
Gearing up for Durga Puja
TNN | Sep 25, 2011, 12.06PM ISTThe channel launches exclusive programmes based on Durga pujo, for its viewers to celebrate " Mahapujo 2011". From 11 am to 5 pm everyday, enjoy a host of programmes that make your day. On Mahalaya, September 27, catch "Dasharupe Dashabhuja", the classic tale of Mahishasur Mardini starring Srabanti as Devi Durga followed by the "Agomoni Adda", a traditional adda where singers, artistes and danseuse of yesteryears team up with their contemporary counterparts for a chitchat. Don't miss the "Banglar Shera Pujo", the innovative concept of judging the best thematic barwari pujo pandal and "Dugga Dugga", a rib tickling animation series specially formulated for Durga puja.
Get engrossed in telefilms with "Pujor Telefilm" and entertain yourself with the "Zee Bangla Paribarer Pujo". For music lovers there's "Gaane Gaane Pujo", a musical programme, where eminent singers like Rupankar, Kartick Das Baul, Swapan Basu and Raghav will enthrall the audience.
Celebrity pujas line western suburbs
Bella Jaisinghani, TNN | Oct 1, 2011, 12.22AM ISTMUMBAI: On the eve of Durga Puja, which begins on Sunday, Goddess Durga has arrived in all her finery at the pujo pandals in the western suburbs. The belt from Bandra to Andheri is lined with pujo pandals founded by veteran artistes from the Hindi film industry, beginning with Sashadhar Mukherjee, Shakti Samanta, Basu Chatterjee and 1940s composer Jagmohan down to singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya.
In Bandra, the Natunpalli Sarbojonin Durgotsavis celebrating its 39th Durga Puja near National College. "In the 1970s, top artistes from the Hindi film industry, including Hemant Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Shakti Samanta, R D Burman, Asha Bhosle, Salil Chowdhury, Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan and Raakhee, patronized the puja," says spokesperson M C Banerjee. "Those glorious days will never return but we adhere to our original theme of national integration to this day. Visitors say the pandal gives them the feeling of having come home to Bengal."
Bappi Lahiri is the star attraction at the pandal this year.
A parallel event at Balkan-ji Bari in Juhu sees the descendants of the late Sashadhar Mukherjee host the event. His youngest son Subir says, "Since 64 years, our North Mumbai Sarbojanik Durgotsav conducts each ritual to specification, followed by the bhog where 10,000 people eat with members of the family, including Kajol and Rani Mukherjee.
A-list singers like Runa Laila, Mika Singh and Shankar Mahadevan will perform next week."
Nearby, the Durga Puja at the Juhu Cultural Association was started by Jaganmay Mitra or Jagmohan, not to be confused with the Sapan-Jagmohan duo. "Our calendar is full with philanthropic activities and pujo is one of them," says mandal head Arnab Banerjee. "Children from a home for destitutes in Nalasopara as well as cancer patients, whom we support, are always invited to the bhog." Bangla music band Bhoomi forms the entertainment quotient this season.
Merely in its third year, the Andheri Link Road Sarbojanik Durga Puja of D N Nagar that was started by advertising firm Katha is already a favourite. "Our 22-ft idol is the tallest in the suburbs," says president Krishnendu Sen. "Unlike other pandals that play recorded chants in praise of Maa Durga, we will actually have 11 priests performing these on the dais." Rahul Sharma, Gracy Singh and Reshmi Desai will perform on Sunday.
Amid the glitter, an island of traditional festivity is the Ramakrishna Mission in Khar where swamijis supervise a series of rituals, especially the 'kumari puja', which is a highlight. This year, several mandals have sought the expertise of the Mission to oversee the theme of Swami Vivekananda at their venues for this is the year of his 150th birth anniversary.
Rhythm Divine
TNN | Oct 1, 2011, 10.31AM ISTALBUM: KAYA FOLK ROCKERS BAND: KAYA
PITCHING IT RIGHT
This is Kaya's first Hindi album and band member Arindam is delighted. "The album comprises seven songs in Hindi, all original. The genre is basically folk incorporating rustic tunes from Bengal, Rajasthan and other parts of India." The album sees an all-India release post-Puja.
FESTIVE BEAT
"Puja is the best time to target an album release. Because we have launched the album in Kolkata, we figured that the hype is just right before Durga Puja. Financially, people are the most prosperous at this time of the year. Even CD sales are high during the festive season. This 'buy-buy' mood made us release the album just before the Puja," says Arindam.
ALBUM: GARLAND OF GEMS ARTISTE: USHA UTHUP; NARRATION BY NASEERUDDIN SHAH
PITCHING IT RIGHT
Usha Uthup's album "Garland of Gems" is special for many reasons. First, it features songs of Tagore rendered in English. Secondly, the album contains narration by none other than veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah.
FESTIVE BEAT
"Puja is the ideal time to launch an album. I could've brought out the album at any time of the year but there's something so magical about Durga Puja! It's a time for loving, giving, caring and sharing. An album launch during the Puja makes it all the more special," says Usha.
ALBUM: NISHKROMON ARTISTE: RUPAM ISLAM
PITCHING IT RIGHT
Influenced by the subject of departure, both physical and psychological, Rupam has come up with eight songs for "Nishkromon". The album has been musically produced by Allan Ao. All songs have been written and composed by Rupam. These edgy and aggressive songs have been recorded live. It is the first time that many members (not just vocalists) from different bands have joined hands to record an album.
FESTIVE BEAT
"There's an infrastructure for Puja albums' release. Music labels find it a suitable time for promotion. Unlike Fossils albums, where we conceive the songs on our own, for my solo projects (including "Nishkromon"), music companies usually offer me a deal. It was a Puja album offer, this time around, and I gave my go-ahead," says Rupam.
ALBUM: OI ASONOTOLER ARTISTE: ABHIJEET
PITCHING IT RIGHT
In Abhijeet's first-ever Rabindrasangeet album, every song has been carefully selected by the singer himself. There's "Je chhilo amar swapancharini", "Bhenge mor gharer chabi", among others. The stress is on melody and the singer has stayed away from experimenting.
FESTIVE BEAT
"My song, "Dhaaker taale", has become a landmark in Tollywood's film music. It has evolved into a Puja song. That was inspiring for me to bring out my first Rabindrasangeet album during the Puja. There couldn't have been
a better time," says Abhijeet.
ALBUM: DESH JUREY BAND: BHOOMI
PITCHING IT RIGHT
Bhoomi, which has long been working with folk songs of Bengal, has taken a step forward. The band has translated an array of folk songs from different regions of the country in Bengali. Features in the album are the Bengali version of the Punjabi folk, "Tutak tutak tutiya" and the Hindi number, "Dumadum mast kalandar".
FESTIVE BEAT
"Puja is the time to break away from the serious mould. We wanted to present a few fun songs. Bhoomi has even come up with albums mid-year, but Puja is always what we target," says Surajit.
ALBUM: BENGAL'S MOST WANTED ARTISTES: VARIOUS
PITCHING IT RIGHT
Soumitra and Surajit (Bhoomi), Upal and Anindya (Chandrabindoo), Subhajit (Lakkhichhara), Rupam (Fossils) and Sidhu (Cactus) have come together for one rocking album. Conceived by Hemu, guitarist of Bhoomi, the album has seven solo songs by the singers apart from one track, "Ei desh", which is sung by all seven singers.
FESTIVE BEAT
"Bands have, in their own way, added a different texture to Bangla music. And what better way to celebrate than join hands for a unique project? Every singers has stepped out of his known territory to do something different. Hemu has done a remarkable job," says Sidhu.
ALBUM: MONE ROBE ARTISTES: BABUL SUPRIYO AND ALKA YAGNIK PITCHING IT RIGHT
Rabindrasangeet duets are not common in non-film albums. In sync with this thought, Babul Supriyo and Alka Yagnik have come up with their latest. Born and brought up in Kolkata, Alka was Babul's original choice for this duet album.
FESTIVE BEAT
"As an artiste, I don't feel like cutting more than one album a year. For me, the trend of bringing out a Puja album began in 2009, when I had come with "Kotobar Bhebechinu". I followed it up with "Jodi Jantem" in 2010 and this year, it's "Mone Robe". At times, I am being asked why not an album of modern songs? I feel, no song can be more modern than those by Tagore," says Babul.
Compiled by Zinia Sen & Deblina Chakravorty
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