Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

Mahalaya marks the end of "Pitri Paksha" and the beginning of "Devi Paksha". People believe that Lord Shree Rama invoked Ma Durga on this day of 'Mahalaya Amavasya' for her blessings, just before his journey to Lanka to fight with Ravana and rescue his wife Sita. Some people believe that on this auspicious day Parvati - the wife of Lord Shiva started her journey from mount Kailash to her father mount Himalay's residence for five days. This annual arrival of Parvati is called Durga Puja in Bengal. The Bengalees worship Ma Durga with due devotion and dedication. Irrespective of castes and creeds, all the people enjoy this festival - young & old. Traditional pujas are performed in 'Banedi' families of Kolkata and Bengal. 'Baroari' puja also a phenomenon where Durga Puja is concern. The Bengalees wait throughout the year for this biggest festival of the year.  Another significance of 'Mahalaya' is  "Tarpan". At the end ...

No, it’s not a film by Mrinal Sen or Srijit Mukherjee, but, a date stuck in the root of Bengalee - the day when dearest poet Rabindranath Tagore was died. We know it is the day to ponder over sitting in the corner of room how the poet wrote all of his poems and songs mixed all the emotions, feelings, sentiments, experience and realisation one can gather lifetime. We silently hear his songs and poems and realise the profundity of a life he spent.      Rabindranath Tagore ignored all the sad deaths of his dear ones with a strong will that enriched his creations throughout. He had the philosophy "ভাল মন্দ যাহাই আসুক সত্যেরে লও সহজে" and never escaped.     At the age of 80, he died on "Baishe Shravan" when the monsoon sky wept too. It was the day, when a great life had stopped but, at the same time, the beginning of post-realisation of a great life whom the then society did not recognised.     80 years passed. But still, the humili...

Good news for Ilish or Hilsa lover Bengalee - 30 tons of ilish had captured the fishermen yesterday at Digha mohana. It is more than last year. And the fishermen expect, record number of silver crop will capture this year from the sea. Today is the full moon. The fishermen expect, after a couple of days, their nets will fill with ilish. So, more & more of ilish will be in the market, and Bengalee can purchase them at reasonable price. Moreover, ilish are coming from Odhisa. The market price has already been slashed. And we hope, market price of ilish will be slashed again, and Bengalee will relish ilish again. -- A. B.

Dr. Amit Chakraborty invented the 'Active Natural Shield' (ANS) antibacterial formula recently. He is the ex of Indian Institute Of Chemical Biology of Jadavpur, Kolkata and now researching at Hindustan Unilever of Bengaluru. ANS is a unique technology. And under the leadership of Dr. Chakraborty, the scientists of the company invented a soap 'Lifebuoy Clini-care 10' with this new and more effective antibacterial formula. The whole world already recognised this formula. They claimed, this soap is ten times more effective than other soaps to kill bacteria.-- A. B.