Just About Everything

Durga Puja 2021 It was Nabami and Durga puja was almost over....I wanted to make the most of the festive spirit and take a  look at some of the puja pandals nearby. Pandal hopping by maintaining social distance is not really feasible! Somewhat possible in Salt lake though. And the best way to go pandal hopping is to walk and see the puja pandals.  So off I went and it felt so normal (although wearing a mask was not normal but I am assuming that will stay for sometime) to go pandal hopping. The festive spirit can be so uplifting.  Here are some pictures from my Nabami walk. The Durga pandals are from the GD, HA  and HC blocks in Salt Lake, and nearby ones.  

It is Jamai Shashthi tomorrow; a festival that is celebrated in Bengal.This festival is essentially for the Jamai (son-in-law). On this day Jamais get invited to a feast at their in-laws place. No matter how bad the weather conditions; no matter how hot it is, nothing can stop the passion with which this festival is celebrated all over Bengal. Of course it is not the same as it used to be in the earlier days but it is still very popular. As a child I used to be very amused at the amount of attention my dad used to get whenever we visited my maternal grandparents. I think it was always Jamai Shashthi for him:) Jamai Shashthi would always happen during our summer vacations, and in our ancestral village there were elaborate ceremonies that would start with a shashthi puja. After the puja, we would all wear the yellow threads around our wrists and gorge on delicious food. Especially homemade sweets; how I loved them! It is my husband's turn to get pampered tomorrow. I wond...