Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

After an year, "Chhath Puja" again, observing Kolkata - the city of joy. -- A. B.

Yesterday I visited Tarapith - the famous place of 'Pith' for pilgrims situated in Birbhum district of Bengal near the town Rampurhat. -- A. B.

Pic 1. Road of Bakreshwar; Pic 2. Bakreshwar (Shiva Linga); Pic 3. The temple of Bakreshwar; Pic 4. The Hot Spring (Agni Kunda). Visited today this famous place of Bengal for the first time. -- A. B.

Visited this evening, the puja pandal of Players' Association of Rampurhat - a sub -division of Birbhum district, which is famous for Kali puja also. They made the idol as the replica of Chandeshwari, which is situated at a place named Chokha, in Kathmandu of Nepal. -- A. B.

Players' Association of Rampurhat Dakbanglo Para erected American Palace as their Kali puja pandal. -- A. B.

Today's Bhrartridwitia or Bhai Phonta or Bhai dooj. The day when sister wishes her brother with rituals and prays long life of Brother. Across Bengal alongwith Kolkata this festival is being observed with traditional joy happiness and enthusiasm. -- A. B.

When I was returning home this evening, stopped by the idol of goddess Kali, so beautiful and unusual - I liked very much. It is a puja pandal of rural Bengal - Nalikul, where the idol yet to decorate and preparation of puja was in progress. -- A. B.

When I was returning home this evening, liked the lighting of a narrow road on the occasion of Kali Puja. -- A. B.

Not only in temples and Sarbojanin puja, many households perform Kali puja at home without an idol. -- A. B.

This evening for the light of lamps - "Deepavali" - the festival of light on the occasion of Kali Puja. Lighted the lamps, candles though, at home. -- A. B.

Bagmari Vivekananda Sporting Club (Maniktala area); Beniatola Sarbojanin; Barisha Shanti Sangha; Kalighat Natun Sangha. -- A. B.

Blog of my city of joy Kolkata not only refer to the city life but as a blogger I always feel the urge to tour suburbs and rural Bengal to gather joy and share to the reader. This morning, when I was coming to this village to spend the holiday, this puja pandal stopped me to look at its simplicity within nice colour and decoration. It is a puja pandal of Nalikul.-- A. B.

Tomorrow is the Kali Puja. Idol of goddess Kali going to puja pandal from Kumortuli.

Decorated lighting for Kali puja at Barasat ~ the place famous for Kali puja.

Kali Puja pandal at Madhyamgram, near Kolkata.

Kali Puja Of Mahendra Srimani Street, North Kolkata.

"Vandemataram" ~ the theme of Barisha Shanti Sangha Sarbojanin Kali Puja.

Kali Puja - 2 days to go So, artists of Kumortuli are now very busy to give the idol finishing touch.-- A. B.

Kali Puja - 4 days to go. Decorators working at night also to prepare the pandal in time. -- A. B.

Kali Puja - 6 days to go. Artists of Kumortuli busy to make decorated clay lamps or 'Pradip' for this Deepavali. It is the festival of light also. -- A. B.

Kali Puja - 7 days to go. Decorators are busy to prepare the puja pandal at Barasat. -- A. B.

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Want to visit Zoo or Victoria or Museum? Open air double deck will double your pleasure to tour Kolkata. The government will bring two buses from China and the pleasure trip will start from this winter.-- A. B.

Chandannagar is famous for Jagadhatri puja. But many other places of Bengal celebrate this festival with traditional joy and enthusiasm. Here in the picture, one of puja pandal of Krishnanagar where the artist preparing the image of goddess Jagadhatri.

Kali Puja - 9 days to go. Clay artists of Kumortuli in Kolkata busy to give the finishing touch to the idols of goddess Kali. -- A. B.

An artist of Krishnanagar preparing the idol of goddess Kali. -- A. B.

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Khalna - a village of Howrah district, where Durga puja is not so significant but they worship goddess Laxmi with pomp and grandeur. Various themes are the main attraction there. Here is a couple of puja pandals attracting viewers now. -- A. B.

This evening, a few hours ago, when I visited the puja pandal, the idol of goddess Laxmi was there, but the puja was not yet started. -- A. B.

Today is Laxmi Puja - the goddess of wealth and happiness. In rural Bengal, most of the household pujas usually performed not of idols but they worship the pot or 'Laxmi-sara' - and a village of Nadia district - Palpara - making these painted earthen pot traditionally. But now, the new generation not accepting this profession and thus in near future this profession would be a history. We should keep this beautiful art work live for the sake of heritage and cultural history of rural Bengal. Here are some pictures of that village making the painted earthen pots.-- A. B.

The death news of ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh came to Kolkata this morning like a bolt from the blue sky. Haimanti Shukla - the renowned singer of the city expressed her grief and shock. She said, she always loved to listen him. Usha Uthup - another famous singer of Kolkata also expressed her shock and paid tribute to this maestro. The people of Kolkata, lovers of good music shocked to hear the news that the most favourable ghazal singer of the country is no more. Last September, when Jagjit Singh came to Kolkata and performed at Science City Auditorium he said,"Music is in the blood of Bengalees... they live in music... And I'm also son-in-law of Bengal" (he laughed).--- A. B.

I personally feel that he is my most favourite singer. The sweetness, the heartfelt melody and serene utterance of words - I never found among others. He is no more. But he is unforgettable. -- A. B.