It is festival time in Kolkata with Navratri and Durga Puja

West Bengal and its capital Kolkata are famous for the large-scale, opulent pujas. The organizers work night and day to present artistic creations that attract people from not just different parts of Bengal and from all over the country, but even globally. This has been made possible because of the recognition accorded by UNESCO in 2021. It has granted recognition in the form of Heritage Status to 'Durga Puja in Kolkata.' This is inscribed in its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Those who plan a trip to Kolkata during the festival can expect memorable experiences of gorging on yummy food, praying to Goddess Durga, pandal hopping, and loving every bit of the festivities. These are what Durga puja is all about. Eat, pray, love! 5 things to do while visiting Kolkata during Durga Puja 2022; visit THESE top 20 pandals. It has to be remembered that pandal hopping translates into crowds and hot and humid surroundings. It is better to wear comfortable footwear because you might have to walk long distances and remain in queue for a long time to get a darshan of the idols and the magnificent pandals.

There is a craze among some people to visit 'Bonedi bari' puja. These are family pujas dating back to centuries and involve aristocratic households. There is no commercialization and they do not go in for glamor and glitz of the baroyari pujas. The number of such families is few and the uniqueness is that on this annual festival, members of the family come together from far corners of the world. These turn out to be unforgettable homecomings. Of course, food lovers enjoy street foods, sweets and eating out at the city's famous restaurants. From fuchka (or the gol gappa or pani puri) to jhal muri (puffed rice with special spices) and the famous Kolkata roll – the list is a long one. In many restaurants, food lovers may have to wait in queues for their turn.

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Durga Puja and senior citizens of Kolkata

Durga Puja and senior citizens of Kolkata

In the fast-paced world of today, most of the senior citizens belong to a neglected lot. Their families do not want to recognize their presence and they might even discover themselves in old age homes. It could have been forced upon them due to circumstances beyond their control. Or - they might have opted for such an existence in order to survive. During a major festival like the Durga Puja, old timers in this category deserve a better deal. It is not possible for them to negotiate crowded streets, serpentine queues at pandals and bumper-to-bumper traffic. Ultimately, many of them have no other alternative but to stay at home. This has led to the creation of groups who arrange to take them around and bring some cheer into their lives. Hand in hand with senior citizens for pandal-hopping. Many of these organizations arrange special packages for the elderly on special days. They offer visit to prestigious venues of the Pujas and these are not cheap.

Those who plan such outings have to keep in mind the safety and comfort of the senior citizens. Usually, they travel in air-conditioned buses with packed breakfast along with bottled water and beverages. The organizers keep ready nursing assistants, wheelchairs, medical kits etcetera and adhere to all COVID precautions. The itinerary avoids crowded and congested roads. There are also charity organizations that take around senior citizens and especially abled persons. Enthusiastic professionals from various occupations usually conduct activities of this nature. They arrange to distribute new clothes to the needy and try to bring some cheer in their dull lives.

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Durga Puja is the most important festival of Bengalis. This year it is special for Bengal because of the recognition accorded to the festival by the UNESCO heritage committee. Hence, the Puja committees have removed all stops to welcome foreign tourists to highlight the hidden talents of those of those who join hands to construct pandals and decorate them. Many of these have out-of-the-world appearances that defy expectations. It is usual for celebrities to grace the occasion of the inauguration. However, this year there appears to be an exception due to whatever reasons. Durga Puja 2022: Why did Bollywood disappear from the glittering Puja event? Fear of ED here? . As it is, there are the old traditional pujas and there are the new wave theme pujas. People flock and move from one pandal to another to enjoy the sights and sounds all around.

Incidentally, it is usual to conduct the inauguration program after Mahalaya, preferably the Panchami. This year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated several pujas much before Panchami. Probably she had to keep in mind the changed equation in view of commodification and commercialization. Durga Puja is the quintessential Bengali festival where the city of Kolkata gives its all. The outbreak of corona forced the devotees to spend the last two years practically sitting at home. Obviously, the excitement for this year’s puja is different.

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Kolkata gears up for Durga Puja rush with special buses for shoppers

The government of West Bengal wants people to forget the woes of Covid and its restrictions that had strangled businesses for 2 years. This year the focus is on enjoying the goodies that any festival can offer. In order to satisf ay the transportation needs of the common man the West Bengal government has introduced a special bus. The intention is to satisfy the desire for shopping spree that the festivities demand. This will help the shoppers to move about and give a push to the shopping. The special bus will operate in the commercial district of the city as announced by West Bengal's minister of transport. He said the buses would be available from September 4 through September 25. This will include weekends and public holidays. These would cover the commercial districts of Gariahat, Shyambazar, and Esplanade. Moreover, between 12 PM and 9 PM, there will be special air conditioned buses throughout the commercial areas of Kolkata. Other routes to be covered would be from places like Esplanade and Howrah to other destinations in all directions. Durga Puja 2022: Kolkata launches special shopping buses for Durga Puja season till September 25.

An official of the West Bengal Transport Department explained that the action of introducing special buses for Durga Puja shoppers was taken after the outbreak of pandemic had put a brake on the festivities in the city. The Covid since 2020 prohibited people from enthusiastically celebrating Durga Pujo. However, this year there are indications that things are much better. In view of the changed scenario, the transport department is taking action to support this. These special shopping buses will be parked in areas where people can utilize the service as a hop-on-hop-off in retail areas. There will not be any additional fees for individuals who use the service.

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Out of more than 20,000 Durga Pujas in West Bengal, some are hundreds of years old

It is difficult to believe that there are more than 20,000 Durga Pujas held in West Bengal. Durga Puja 2022: Big Plans in Bengal after UNESCO Heritage Tag, Covid Lull Out of these, many are hundreds of years old. The celebration of this festival of Bengal is usually on a large scale. Each year, the state government provides donations to the puja organizing clubs and plans to do that this year as well. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a grant of Rs 60,000 for each puja to make it a success. Last two years, it was subdued because of restrictions put in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, with ease of protocols, the administration is planning a mega celebration. This is all the more important in view of the Cultural Heritage tag of UNESCO that the celebrations won last year.

The Mondal Bari Puja at Shyamdaspur in Bankura district has been celebrating Durga Puja in their ancestral home here for more than 500 years now. Its origin dates back to much before the city of Kolkata originated. It began as a private family affair and over a period has attracted people from far-off places and become an annual event for devotees and tourists. The joint family has disintegrated into fragments and members have moved to different corners of the country in search of livelihood. They try to return to their ancestral home during the pujas. Some other age-old pujas are given below –

1 Sabarna Roy Chowdhury Aatchala Durga – in 1626
2. Behala Jagat Ram Mukherjee Durga Puja – in 1769
3. Behala Roy Family Durga Puja - in 1756
4. Bhukailash Rajbari - in 1782
5. Sovabazar Raj Bari Durga Puja - in 1757
6. Pathuriaghata Khelat Ghosh Durga Puja - almost 170 years old
7. Purna Chandra Dhar Family Durga Puja - 157 years ago
8. Jhamapukur Chandra Family Durga Puja - in 1761
9. Badan Chandra Roy Family Durga Puja - year 1857
10. Ramgopal Saha Bari Durga Puja – 175 years old
11. Bagbazar Haldar Bari Durga Puja - in the year 1560
12. Shib Krishna Daw Family Durga Puja - in 1840
13. Narasingha Daw Family Durga Puja - in 1859
14. Laha Family Durga Puja - over two centuries old
15. Madan Mohan Dutta family Durga Puja - from 1794 AD
16. Chhatu Babu Latu Babu’s Durga Puja - in 1770
17. Maniktala Saha Family Durga Puja - almost 150 years old
18. Ghose Family Durga Puja of Ghose Lane - in 1856
19. Pataldanga Basu Mallick Family Durga Puja - in 1831
20. Thanthania Dutta Family Durga Puja - in 1855

These are based on Bonedi Bari Durga Puja in Kolkata (Updated in 2020 with Maps)

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Durga Puja and a trip to the sea beach of Digha

One of the favorite festivals of Bengalis is the Durga Puja. The festivities go on for four days and many Bengalis take the opportunity to visit the sea beach of Digha. There are any number of hotels and Digha tourism tries to cater to a whole range of visitors. These provide the visitors with innumerable options. A few tips worth following are to reserve a hotel in advance suitable to your pocket. There are any number of websites that are loaded with options. There are packages for making local trips to enjoy the holidays to the maximum. West Bengal Tourism department provides an insight into places to see and enjoy in Digha, a seaside place to spend some time with family and friends.

Durga Puja is the festive season when Bengalis enjoy a long holiday. Hence, many of those who plan to spend it on the seaside opt for Digha. It is accessible by train or by bus or by hired vehicles. The list of dos and don’ts are not many. How can you enjoy Durga Puja at affordably priced hotel in Digha? It is necessary that you book the hotel accommodation in advance, preferably online. In case there are children, it is better to select a hotel that offers facilities for kids’ activity. In case there are elderly persons, it helps if pickup and drop facilities are available from the railway station. As to food, try to avoid street food. They might appear attractive but may not follow the guidelines of hygiene. It would be wise to rely on the lip-smacking seafood served at the hotels.

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Dahi Handi with human pyramids is a part of Krishna Janmashtami festival

India celebrates many festivals and the dahi handi festival is unique. It is to mark the birth of Lord Krishna. He is one of the most beloved Gods of Hindus and loves milk and all milk products, especially butter. To commemorate his birth, his devotees offer him butter. This is called ‘dahi’ in Hindi. They hide it in a pot (known as ‘handi’) and hang it high up. The festival is for his devotees to climb and get that pot of butter. It is difficult and the young men and women form human pyramids to get not just the butter but also the prize – nowadays, this incentive runs into a sizeable amount in lakhs of rupees. The festival has become popular because some Bollywood movies have used this theme in their movies. One of these is 'Govinda Aala Re' from "Bluffmaster" - the Shammi Kapoor film of 1963. This year, the dahi handi festival has been revived after two years – it was banned due to COVID-19. Dahi Handi Celebrations: 12 ‘Govindas’ Injured, 7 Remain in Hospital in Mumbai. The youngsters (called Govindas), dress in colorful attire and climb on each other to create human pyramids. This way they try to reach the ‘handi’ containing butter. It signifies victory through unity.

The government of Maharashtra had announced that there would be no restrictions on celebrating religious festivals this year. These include Dahi Handi and Ganesh Chaturthi. In the last two years, COVID-19 restrictions had played spoilsport. Incidentally, those who join groups and form the human pyramids are experienced and work as a team. It is not restricted to the boys but girls also participate and they practice regularly. The prizes carry handsome amounts and, at times, there are accidents. The participants treat these as a part of the game.

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Pomp and glamour in Durga Puja in Bengal

Durga Puja holds a pride of place in Bengal. It is an occasion when the whole of Bengal comes together to enjoy a few days of unbridled fun. There are hundreds of Pujas and organizers spend hours to come up with new and innovative ideas to capture the imagination of the public and increase footfalls. There have been decorations where the bulk of material used defy imagination. In the past, some have gone in for bamboos, others relied on sea shells, others on coconut while others selected discarded parts of motor vehicles. The design of the pandals relied on well-known buildings including temples, churches, castles and other such unique structures. It seems the brains behind the pujas begin work much in advance. In fact, the planning stage takes off soon after immersion of the idols. Incidentally, the scale of the festivities expanded about a decade earlier. It coincided with a new government taking over. Youngsters are usually the prime movers who breathe life into festivals. In this case, also, they emerged on the scene to change the concept of celebrations. They had the support of people who matter. Thus, the new age Durga Puja came into existence where there was no dearth of funds and the imagination of the organizers could take wings. This festival earned the UN Cultural Heritage status in 2021.

The organizers rightly deserve this recognition because it is a combined effort of not only Bengalis but also all those who contribute. They come from all walks of life and work towards a common goal – success of the programs. These begin from carrying the idols from Kumartuli to the lorries for moving to the pandals till the immersion of the idols in the Hoogly River. Then there are the dance programs mostly of housing societies. The participants include Bengalis and non-Bengalis. When the time comes for community lunch, a common feature, everyone sits together – irrespective of religious faith.

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Politicians are like chameleons

Horse-trading is a term one hears often. It does not relate to horses but to politics and is usually associated with politicians who switch loyalties for any type of gains. These politicians have hardly any ethics and take sides depending on which way the wind blows. As a result, they are able to call the shots and mint money. There are innumerable movies that deal with this theme and the whole world knows about such individuals but have to accept the inevitable. The government has formulated laws to check floor crossing but the world of chameleons keep spreading. An example is of a member of the BJP who moved into the TMC camp and has become a minister within a short time. He is a well-known singer, had once met the TMC supremo and shared jhal-muri with her.Ego Tussle With BJP Leaders, Warm Ties With Mamata: How Babul Supriyo Changed Tunes

Greed has ruined politics. Today it is all about who can call the shots. In view of rampant unemployment, members of political parties at the grass root level keep searching for options to make money. They try to pressurize the locals into shelling out money. Initially these are for minor reasons like celebrating a festival. The organizers are usually those who love to show off their muscle power. Over a period, they form groups and join political parties. In the beginning, it is all hunky dory but when discontent sets in, they change sides. Some of them turn into demons, others fade into oblivion or perish.

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School days – celebrating Durga Puja

Durga Puja is the greatest festival of Bengalis and initially it was restricted to the rich and the famous zamindars and other affluent people. The four-day festival involved not just different types of material and labor but also adequate amount of finance.

Tradition has it that the villagers would wait expectantly all the year round to partake of the goodies that would be distributed by the zamindars – there would also be eats on the occasion and, in the evenings, the unique Bengali theater groups would conduct ‘jatras’ to entertain the villagers.
One of the oldest such pujas was that of Sabarna Roy Choudhury – it started in 1610 and is over 400-years old. Anyway, with the passage of time, the festivities went public and came to be known as the ‘baro-yari’ pujas – ‘baro’ means twelve and ‘yaar’ means friends. Hence, baro-yari literally means twelve friends. This culture took off in the early 1900s and gradually gained momentum. And – true to Bengali culture, the pujas kept multiplying mostly because of dissidents breaking away from the original group to form new groups.

Of course, finance invariably ruled supreme and, in order to generate the funds, the organizers would go in for collecting advertisements apart from donations. Later it all was about sponsorships – the better contacts one had would translate into lucrative sponsorships.