Just About Everything

Beautifully sculpted  Durga idol These are some beautiful Durga idols from South Kolkata, Durga Puja 2011. I will continue to post more Durga puja pictures. Today is Navami. I am feeling sad that tomorrow will bring an end to this five day long festival. Time to say bye to Ma Durga and the amazingly beautiful puja pandals. Durga idol handcrafted by artists from Krishnanager, West Bengal Durga image 2011  Beuatiful and exquisite Duga idol Kolkata Durga puja 2011 Creative modern Durga idol South Kolkata Durga pandal Goddess Durga image Pandal made with glass Hindusthan Park, Kolkata Durga Idol Hindusthan Park, Kolkata Jute Duga Pandal Kolkata Durga Idol

Durga Idol North Kolkata Here are some more snaps of Durga idols and pandals that I had clicked way back in 2009. With Mahalaya just a  few days away, Puja fever is at its peak in Kolkata. Work on the Ceiling of the Durga pandal Durga Idol Durga Idol in Bhwanipur Kolkata Work on the walls of the pandal Durga Pandal in North Kolkata Close up of the Pandal Durga puja at a beautiful old house in Bhawanipur Kolkata Durga puja at another beautiful  house in Bhawanipur Here are links to the earlier Durga puja photos - Durga Puja 2008 Durga Puja 2009 Durga puja 2010 Durga puja 2010-II

Kumartuli Artists workshop With Durga puja just another three weeks away, I wanted to visit Kumartuli which is the idol maker hub of Kolkata. Located in Shovabazar, North Kolkata, Kumartuli is home to many talented artists who make the beautiful durga idols. Last weekend we went to Kumartuli and we were amazed at the beautiful idols created by these talented idol makers. What is amazing is that they have still have kept a lot of old traditions alive. The idol makers still use water from Hoogly to mix the clay and make the models. It is not the easiest things to do since the have to hire water carriers, but most of the artists still folow this tradition. Kumartuli streets are narrow and there are lanes and bylanes and that is what lends Kumartuli a character.It not not a typical studio where potters do their clay modeling, these streets are as old as Kolkata and is a historic place. I am posting a few photos of goddess durga, there was also a very interesting and be...