Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

 ৪০০ বছরের পুরনো হরিপালের দুর্গা পুজো। 400 years old Durga Puja at Haripal village of Hooghly district in West Bengal. দুর্গাবাটীর তোরণে লেখা আছে, এই দুর্গাদালান তৈরি হয়েছিল ১৫৪৪ শকাব্দে। অর্থাৎ, ১৬২২ খ্রিষ্টাব্দে। তবে শোনা যায়, দুর্গাদালান তৈরির আগে থেকেই এই পুজোটা হয়ে আসছে। ধরে নেওয়া হয়, বাংলায় দুর্গাপুজোর প্রবর্তক নদীয়া-রাজ ভবানন্দ মজুমদার। ১৬০৬ সালে প্রথম দুর্গাপুজোর আয়োজন করেছিলেন তিনি। এর বছর চারেক পর, ১৬১০ সালে দুর্গাপুজো শুরু হয়েছিল কলকাতার সাবর্ণ পরিবারে। সেদিক থেকে দেখতে গেলে হরিপালের ‘সাতবাড়ি রায়’ (Saatbari Ray) পরিবারের পুজোও প্রায় তার সমবয়সী।  অন্যান্য বনেদি বাড়ির মতোই, হরিপালের রায় বংশের এই দুর্গাপুজোও বেশ বৈচিত্রময়। রীতি-রেওয়াজ থেকে শুরু করে দুর্গাপ্রতিমার গঠন— প্রতিটি ক্ষেত্রেই আর পাঁচটা বাড়ির দুর্গাপুজোর থেকে খানিক আলাদা রায় বাড়ির এই পুজো। বাড়ির সঙ্গে সরাসরি যোগ রয়েছে মুঘল আমলের। সম্রাট আকবরের থেকেই ‘রায়’ খেতাব পেয়েছিলেন এই বাড়ির আদিপুরুষ তথা মুঘল রাজকর্মচারী শিবদাস দে মজুমদার। হুগলির ছোট্ট গ্রাম হরিপালকে সাজিয়ে তোলার নেপথ্যে ছিলেন তিনিই। গ্রামবাসীদের জন্য...

async="" crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6973460484243747"> Today, I would like to tell about the 340 years old Durga Puja of Serampore Goswami family's traditional Durga puja. Their house is a royal palace (Raj Bari) built about 300 years ago. Serampore is a town of Hooghly district of West Bengal, India. This town is located near Kolkata. It is a very old town, occupied by Dutch during British raj in India. This royal palace of Goswami family is situated on the bank of river Ganges near ferry ghat. When I entered at the house, seen the big structure at the middle 'chandni' or 'Naat Mandir'. It is made of 24 corinthian columns and occupied 130×30 feet area. I stood under this 'chandni' and found the 'Thakur Dalan' (where the deity offered puja). Its floor is made of marble. Its outer walls and pillars are well-decorated with cement plast...

Durga Puja of Kolkata just indexed in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in the 16-members meeting of UNESCO held in Paris yesterday. It is a proud moment for not only Bengal, but for entire India. Out of 48 nominations there in the meeting, Durga Puja of Kolkata is the first of its kind in Asia. /> Now, it is proved that Durga Puja of Kolkata is not only a festival, but an emotion of entire nation. All the leaders and common people of the country are very happy to hear this news. /> Durga Puja of Bengal, especially of Kolkata is the biggest festival of the year, we know. But, recently, we witnessed the immersion carnival of Kolkata's Durga Puja at Red Road which was a great success. By organising this carnival - the whole world came to know that Kolkata has an old tradition and heritage of Durga Puja which belongs to Bengal's culture strongly. /> While considering Durga Puja of Kolkata as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the authori...

According to myth, the gods prayed for Sun, Shiva and Durga to destroy the demons who occupied the heaven. The theme-maker Somnath Mukhopadhyay is creating the place where the gods were prayed. And the images of Sun, Shiva and Durga would also be there. So, the theme is 'shaktirupen sansthita'. This puja pandal is near Ramlal Baazar, Kasba. -- A. B.

Goddess Durga is arriving on earth as the fairy of moon... and her childrens are also riding on moon. This unique idol of Durga made of fibre will be this year's puja of Chetla Agrani. And the mahisasur is praying to goddess to free him, sitting on the reverse bowl-like earth. There will be a 18 feet high Shiva linga. Theme-maker Bhabatosh Sutar. -- A. B.

Utsav means festival of colours. And butterfly is the symbol of colours. Now it will be very true for the puja mandap of Naktala Udayan Sangha. Theme-maker Bhabatosh Sutar is making the mandap and idol of goddess Durga this year also. In this 26th year, 80 colourful butterflies will surround the puja mandap. And the story of caterpillar to butterfly would be depicted here. The structure of butterflies are being made of iron. Works of acrylic would be on the clothes covered the irons. Beauty and colour will reign here by the help of due lighting. The main pandal will be of 44 ft high. And the viewers would have illusions that so many butterflies are flying within the kingdom of flowers. The idol of goddess Durga would also be on the backdrop of colourful wings of a butterfly. Ustad Rashid Khan is composing the theme song of this puja. As a whole, Naktala Udayan Sangha is ready to represent a heavenly experience for the viewers. -- A. B.

Naktala Udayan Sangha: this silver jubilee year's theme 'Amalgamation of metal and wood' - the pandals are being made of iron and woods and the image of Durga is made of woods. But this 17 feet high image's hands, face, crown and weapons are made of pure pittal. The planner of this image is Academy Award winner artist Bhabatosh Sutar. Skilled wood artists of Bagula, skilled pittal artists of Shantiniketan and clay artists of Purulia are doing this job. So, it is obvious that the image of Durga is very very costly. -- A. B.

A puja committee of Khidirpur, preparing the pandal for ensuing Durga Puja. -- A. B.

Colours are ready, pandals are busy with the decoration, but the artists of Kumortuli now busy to make images of Vishwakarma as coming 18th September is the Vishwakarma Puja. So, from next Sunday, the artists of clay images will back to finish clay models of goddess Durga. -- A. B.

Sinthi Youth Athletic Club of Kolkata decided to erect their puja pandal based on an ancient Durga temple situated near Vijaynagar of south India. Santoshpur Trikon Park of Kolkata this year chosen 'Ananda' (the joy) as their puja theme. They're creating a flower - the symbol of joy. -- A. B.

Theme 'Dakshineswar temple' may be one of the best attraction of Kolkata's Durga Puja this year. Singhi Park - the famous puja of the city of joy taking the remarkable job to create the theme of famous Kali temple of Dakshineswar. The height of the temple will be the only difference with the original due to obligation of height limits by the administration. When Rani Rasmoni completed the temple in the year 1855, the total cost was 1000 INR and in 2011, Singhi Park making the replica of this temple in a tune of 40 lakh INR but they assured that one can feel it as original. The image of goddess Durga will conventional 'Ek chala' with a height of 22 feet. And the maker of this image - Pradip Rudra Paul, son of Mohanbanshi Rudra Paul, said that he is making this image by the concept of first Durga image of the year 1604 in Bengal. -- A. B.

Pataldanga - one of the oldest area of Central Kolkata. Century ago, the inhabitants used to gather at the house of their neighbour to enjoy the essence of Durga Puja. Then, the then local people started the puja by individual contributions in the year 1913, that is 99 years ago. Since then, the puja being organised at 48 C, Pataldanga Street of Kolkata as 'Pataldanga Shri Shri Sharadiya Mahamaya'. The organiser of this century-old puja told media today that they never inclined to 'Theme Puja' and they prefer to remain as the lover of conventional 'Daaker saaj' puja. This year also they are about to worship 'Ek chala' Durga, preparing by the renowned artist of Krishnanagar - Mohan Banshi Rudra Paul. -- A. B.

The sky of Kolkata and suburbs remaining cloudy since the beginning of this month and it is raining also now and then. Therefore, the artists of Kumortuli are anxious about the time limit of ensuing Durga Puja. The images of goddess Durga must be prepared within this month, but they're facing problems about the open air drying of the clay models. They compelled to cover the images with plastic blankets. But it takes time to dry the models. Hence, Kumortuli praying for sunny days - at least, upto Durga Puja. -- A. B.

One of the organiser of Durga Puja this year - Naktala of Kolkata, preparing the image of goddess Durga with 'pittal' and mehgoni woods. -- A. B.

The artist at Kumortuli in Kolkata busy with 'Shola' work for the decoration of puja pandals. -- A. B.

Durga Puja - 39 days to go. Craftsman of Kumortuli preparing the clay image of goddess Durga, in Kolkata. -- A. B.

Durga Puja - just 40 days to go. The artist preparing the clay model of goddess Durga at Kumortuli in Kolkata. -- A. B.

Kumortuli of Kolkata - where clay images of goddess Durga are being prepare - temporally shifted to Bagbazar area, due to renovation work of existing Kumortuli. Most of the craftsmen preparing the idols from there, but with a hope to meet old buyers of images, some of craftsmen stayed at Kumortuli and erected temporary shelter at roadside to prepare images of goddess Durga.-- A. B.

Kumortuli of Kolkata busy with the creativity. Clay models of Durga under preparation. -- A. B.

A kid at Kumortuli (the place where the clay idols of goddess Durga are being made) touching the clay face of Durga and trying to feel the days left for puja. -- A. B.