The auspicious victory

'As early as 1930, the Eastern Bengal Railways had an advertising poster of “Pujoy Bhromon (Puja Travel)” with the image of a Bengali family walking with their luggage towards an approaching train through kaash fields.' From Telegraph.

For decades, these five days of Durga Puja has been the highlight of the Bengali’s year. Now that it’s gone, emptiness lingers. I can still hear the roll of the drums and the conch shells too, reverberating in some deep crevice of my mind.

Now it is time to visit people, wish them luck and love for the year, and eat bellyful of sweets. Shubho Bijoya.

She’s gone, till next time

We bade the Goddess adieu with a heavy heart. But again next year, my friend. Hold your spirits up.

Asche bochor abar hobe.

Her many Avatars

In search of the best idols of Goddess Durga, down the bylanes of South Kolkata.

Favourite three

And my winner is...

We walked for five hours and saw about twelve. But if you want to marvel at more, look here.

These Puja days

By the drumbeats you know. The incessant roll of the dhaks, their bearers hitting with all their puny might; the rhythmic, hypnotic beats that crash around us as we wake, wash and walk hurriedly over to the pandal.

By the scent of the dhoop you know. The powerful assault on the senses, yet pleasant. The smoke that gathers round and round, enveloping as we watch in wonder, with a dreamlike stupor moving into a world of fantasies.

By the kinship you know. Flocked together in little circles with steaming gossip and tea. Sweaty hands jostling, eager to grab flowers and bel patha before anyone else for the anjali in the morning. The elderly, walking down gingerly to watch the hour-long aarti in the evening. Games and contests, open to all, and won by none.

By the way they dress you know. The deepest cut blouses, the tallest shoes and the chunkiest jewellery.

By the fervour you know. Waves of people squealing excitedly, garbed in their garish best, feet aching with hours of walk in the relentless heat. Sweat glistening proudly on their forehead, a mark of all night pandal hopping.

The city throbs today. These few days of palpable excitement and fervour. These few heady days of Durga Puja.

Mahasaptami

It is that time of the year again. The Goddess cometh upon our land to vanquish evil forces. Durga Puja begins.

But of course, more than its religious portent, it is an opportunity for the community to get together, work alongside to create an event larger than life itself, for migrant children to return home to their parents and thus yours truly is in Kolkata.

There are several conflicting accounts of how Durga Puja came into being. Some claim it was celebrated as a symbol of the early freedom movement in Bengal, while I read somewhere today that it was originally a post harvest celebration; to thank the Goddess for the bountiful food on their tables. All said and done, I do think this is the only time we can disclaim naysayers who say that the Bengali is incapable of hard work. Visit us now, you asur!