Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

-- A. B.

Kolkata celebrating Dol Utsav - the festival of colours with joy and happiness. -- A. B.

The festival of colours knocking the door of spring. After 4 days, the biggest festival of the season spring - Holi or Dol will make Kolkata joyful and happy. Preparations of Holi are already there at Shantiniketan also. And Tagore's home Jorasanko, Rabindra Bharati in the city also waiting for the festival of colours. Rehearsal of Tagore's songs, special dresses for men and women to participate in the function, preparations all around. Girls of Shantiniketan would wear yellow saris with green borders and yellow punjabis for boys. The market of colours are in full swing. Huge sale of Aabir (coloured powder), colours and Pichkari (syringe to spray liquid colours). Sale of Ayurvedic colours and aabirs - are also there in the market. Orange coloured Ayurvedic aabir is being made of Palash flowers. Red aabir comes from bit. So these colours will never do any harm to eyes and skins. Demand of these colours are satisfactory although the price of these colours are very

The festival of colours 'Holi' on 9 March. So, the preparation of colours are going on in Kolkata. -- A. B.

You must thinking it's a kite - I mean, bird, flying on the sky. But no, it's a kite - I mean, a kite, made of paper, about to fly. In collaboration with Japan, kite festival is now running at Kolkata Maidan. Various type of kites are flying there - just like this amazing one published on newspaper. -- A. B.

On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, enthusiastic persons, especially kids are flying kites across Bengal. -- A. B.

Digha Beach Festival Mandarmani Udaypur 2012 Attractions: - West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the Samudra Utsav (Beach Festival) 2012 at Udaypur Beach this evening, which is just 4Km far from New Digha. All the sea beaches from Udaypur to Mandarmani including Digha, Tajpur all are decorated for Festival. Food Stalls containing sea foods, & other delicious foods, various cultural programs will be organized and an exclusive firework exhibition will also took place at Digha Sea Beach Festival 2012. Most importantly, to attract more tourists to Digha, Mandarmani beaches, from now on Water Sports will be available at Digha- Mandarmani Beach. Rose Valley took the initiative to produce Water Sport Boats and brought two expert Water Sport players from Goa.

Digha sea beach is the nearest beach to Kolkata where weekend can be spent. The government of West Bengal trying to upgrade the standard of Digha beach to decorate it as the finest tourist spot near the city of joy. For this purpose, Digha Beach Festival being organised at a place near Digha. It will run from 13 January to 16 January 2012. Various events and functions are being organised to give the festival a grand success. Water sports would be introduced for the first time in Digha, as well as at the nearby Tajpur and Mandarmani beaches. The water sports will include: para- sailing, water skiing, snorkelling, water zorbing, etc. Beach volleyball, beach kabaddi and a half-marathon will be the beach sports events at the Digha beach festival. There will be an all-terrain bike competition too. Live musical bands will perform on specially erected platforms on the beach. The food festival organised during the festival will offer delectable seafood, including local fa

Bangladesh Festival in Kolkata from 16 December 2011 at the premises of Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner. Eminent singers of Bangladesh and Kolkata will perform Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrulgeeti. Popular and precious saris of Bangladesh, like Dhakai Jamdani, Tangail tant, maslin etc will be exhibited this year also for sale. And special food items of Bangladesh, like Kachchi biriyani, Bhuni khichuri and various items of Ilish (Hilsa) will be there invariably. -- A. B.

The world comes home. 8 days, 50 countries, 125 directors, 150 films - the extract of ensuing 17th Kolkata Film Festival. And many more 'for the first time' events will occur here. 1. Tollygunge film industry will drive the fest. 2. Budget about 2.45 crore (more corporate sponsors). 3. Professional touch at website http://kff.in 4. Changed logo 5. Theme song by Nachiketa. 6. Published the names of selectors of 150 films. 7. Total 11 theatres will screen films in the city including multiplex. 8. Inaugural ceremony will be held at Netaji Indoor Stadium. 9. The fest will be inaugurated by Shahrukh Khan and Sharmila Tagore. 10. Inaugural movie 'The Magician' of Netherlands. 11. The price of ticket Rs. 10 only. 12. Mamatashankar & ballet troupe will perform at inaugural function. 13. Orchestra by Kolkata Music Academy will be the opening event of this fest. 14. West bengal Motion Picture Artists' Forum will perform at the end of inaugural function. 15. One of the mai

After a few days - Vishwakarma Puja. And Kite Festival also. So, the kite shops are busy with various types and colours of kites to meet the demand of enthusiastic buyers. -- A. B.

17 September - Kite Festival in Kolkata. The Festivity will merge with Vishwakarma Puja. Kolkata - the city of joy alongwith Bengal, very enthusiastic to celebrate the day. Various colours of kites already flying on the sky. Kite market of the city is being decorated with vivid colours and designer kites. A kite shop owner of the city displaying here fancy China kites to attract prospective buyers.-- A. B.

The cultural and commercial capital of East India is Kolkata; it is also the capital town of West Bengal. Bengalis are very festive in their nature as there are 13 occasions in the 12 months as they say: it called in Bengali language that "BARO MASE… Click here to read the full story --