-
Kumartuli – the second and third visits
Read MoreWith great excitement, I returned to Kolkata at the end of the first week of September, specifically to observe Dilipda and his assistants in the next stages of work on their Durga Puja sculptures at the Shovabazar Rajbari. In the above photo, Dilipda’s assistant, Netal Pal, is adding the second layer of smooth clay to this roughed-out […]
-
Mahalaya
Read MoreThe countdown to Durga Puja is well underway by Mahalaya, which is observed seven days before (September 23rd for 2014). It’s on Mahalaya that preparations for Durga Puja reach their final stages, and it’s believed that on this day Durga, the goddess of supreme power, descends to earth. One older custom still observed by some is the […]
-
Durga Puja
Read MoreThis first day of Durga Puja is also known as Maha Shasthi, and during this day a series of rituals are performed to symbolically awaken Durga. For more information on the rituals of Durga Puja and their timings, check out http://www.bangalinet.com/pujacalendar.htm or http://www.durga-pujas.com/shashti.shtml. For today’s pandal-hopping, Stan and I decided to return to Kumartuli, particularly to view the final […]
-
Kali Ma
Read MoreI prefer Kali to Durga. Why? Since I’m not exactly sure, I thought I’d use the writing of this post to help figure it out. In Kolkata, Kali certainly has less fanfare than the almighty Durga, but from my vantage point, Kali’s devotees appear to have as much or maybe even more fervor for their […]
-
A Dentist to Lions
Read MoreDilipda is preparing no less than five images for Jagadhatri Puja, which is celebrated throughout West Bengal and parts of Odissa about one week after Kali Puja (late October to early November) and exactly one month after Durga Puja. Jagadhatri is considered to be a calm incarnation of Durga. She is known as the “Holder of […]
-
The Goddess of Knowledge
Read MoreSaraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music and art, and is the daughter of Lord Shiva and Ma Durga. In West Bengal, Saraswati is revered by schools and universities, because of the belief that she endows the worshipper with speech, wisdom and learning. Saraswati Puja takes place this year in later January, so preparations of clay images at Kumartuli began […]
