Just About Everything

Durga idol Durga puja is less  than a month away, and Kolkata is beginning to look festive. Shopping, which is so much an integral part of this festival, is now at its peak! Shops are now open every day of the week. Like every year, this year as well, the city is coming up with some very innovative and creative Durga puja themes and pandals. Can't wait to go pandal hopping! The part that I never get tired of repeating is how the city transforms during these 5 days in October every year. Everyone participates in this festival, it is more of a celebration of good things to come than a religious festival. Millions of people go pandal hopping. The city does not sleep during this time. Road side vendors sell delicious food all through the night; you will find crowds going pandal hopping even at 3 am in the morning! It is quite an amazing experience actually. You need to witness this once in a lifetime at least! What I like most about this festival is how it brings togethe...

Goddess Durga I continue to share the pictures I clicked of the Durga puja pandals and idols I saw during Durga pujas. There are so many-many such beautiful pandals and beautifully sculpted idols of Ma Durga that I think I will easily need 2-3 blogs posts to share the pictures that I clicked. And believe me this is just about half of the Durga puja pandals in Kolkata itself! Amazing. Badamtola Durga puja 2012 Badamtola Durga idol 2012 Badamtalo pandal decoration Park circus Durga pandal Durga idol, Park Circus maidan Kolkata Ekdalia durga puja pandal 2012 Ekdali, Durga puja pandal decorations, 2012 Durga idol Ekdalia park, Kolkata Durga puja pandal, South Kolkata Durga idol, South Kolkata Durga pandal decoration,South Kolkata Singhi park durga pandal  Singhi park durga idol Mudiali durga puja pandal 2012 Mudiali durga idol Mudiali, Durga puja pandal 201...

This post is in continuation to my earlier post on Durga puja prikrama 2012 in North Kolkata. Some of these pandals and Durga idols really mesmerized me.Especailly the Kashi Bose lane one, it was almost like I was in a dream sequence. Amazing! Why does Durga puja end so soon? I could not even get around to seeing half of the Durga puja pandals! So much of creativity, and just for five days! Kashi Bose lane Puja Pandal Durga idol at Kashi Bose lane, Kolkata A butterfly themed Durga puja Pandal Durga idol Paintings Paintings on the wall of the pandal Hathibagan Durga puja Pandal 2012 lighting at the pandal Durga idol at Hathibagan College square Durga Puja 2012

Ma Durga My sister and I toured some parts of North and South Kolkata on panchami night. This was my first experience of pandal hopping the whole night long. This experience was unique.I did not feel sleepy, and there were quite a few slightly crazy people like us pandal hopping as well. And to think that officially durga puja had not started as yet. It was still panchami! I am sharing some of the North Kolkata Durga puja pandals that we visited. More to follow.  Durga puja pandal Baghbazar, North Kolkata Durga pandal, Baghbazar 2012  Durga idol Pandal decorations Baghbazar  Chaltabagan, Durga puja pandal, 2012 Pandal decorations Chaltabagan  Durga idol, Chaltabagan Work on the pandal at Chaltabagan Durga puja  

This beautiful, gorgeous Durga puja idol and pandal (2012) at Kashi Bose lane, North Kolkata, mesmerized me. It feels like out of a dream sequence. What creativity!  

Durga Idol at the Goswami Rajbari, Serampore, West Bengal Today is Ashtami, one of the most auspicious days of Durga puja. It is believed that Ma Durga killed the demon mahishasura on Ashtami. I can’t believe that it is Ashtami already! Just two more days and Durga pujas will be over:( I will continue with the Bihar trip report after a couple or more posts of the beautiful Durga puja pandals and idols. There is so much to share!. I have been out all night pandal hopping on 19th, and on the 21st I went visiting the Raj baris in Hooghly district in the outskirts of Kolkata, some of them celebrating four hundred years of Durga puja.It is unbelievable how much of history is tucked away in these traditional durga pujas in Hooghly district of West Bengal. I will begin by posting some pictures of the Goswami Rajbari of Serampore in Hooghly. I just love these old houses! Goswami Rajbari Serampore Courtyard of the Rajbari Rooms around the courtyar...