Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

Seminar: Ramkrishna Math (Jogodyan): Swami Shubhokarananda will talk about "Sri Sri Ramkrishna Kathamrita" at 4:30pm. Drama: Academy: "Jagyaseni Agnikanya" (3pm) by Bhawanipur Shishikkhu, "Ek Mancha Ek Jiban" (6:30pm) by Purba-Paschim. Misc. - Harish Park: Vivek Mela (5pm-10pm) Rajdanga Maath: Rajdanga Utsav & Pithe-Puli Utsav. Organiser- Rajdanga Club Samannoy (রাজডাঙা ক্লাব সমন্বয়). Laha Bari: Classical Music Concert (5pm) - artists: Shahid Parvez Khan, Joytirtho Mebhundi etc. Organiser- Sutanuti Parishad, Chorbagan Ancholik Committee. Rabindra Sadan: Singer Ajoy Chakraborty (4:30pm). Then, dance by artists of Mongolia. Organiser- Heritage Bengal.

Chemould Art Gallery: Exhibition of paintings of various artists of Bengal (11am-7pm) upto 13th January'18. Address - 12F, Park Street, Queens Mansion (opp. Park Hotel), Kolkata - 700016. Ramkrishna Math (Shyampukur bati): "শ্রীশ্রী মায়ের কথা" (the tale of Shree Shree Ma) by Bandita Bhattacharya (6pm). Ramkrishna Mission Ashram (Barahnagar): Goutam Adhikary will talk about "Shri Chaitanya Bhagavat" (6:30pm). Vivekananda Society: Achintya Mukhopadhyay will talk about "Shri Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita" (6:30pm). Muktangan (মুক্তাঙ্গন): "Jatileswar" - by Kolkata Natyasabha, organiser- Chetla Theatre Group (6:30pm). Misc. - Karunamayee Mela Ground: Bidhannagar Mela (2pm-9pm) upto 21st January'18. BITM: '43rd East Indian Science & Technology Fair' (10am-5pm) upto 13th January'18. Ramkrishna Math (Barahnagar): 'Youth Day' celebration to mark the 150 birth anniversary of Si...

3-days long 122nd Poush Mela has started today at Shantiniketan (Bolpur) with Baidik upasana and Rabindra Sangeet on the ground (pic below). This fair is specially meant for folk culture, handicrafts and baul songs. Once upon a time, this Poush Mela used to held at the ground (pic below) initiated by Debendranath and nurtured by his son Rabindranath Tagore. Now, this is a heritage site.

Panchmura village - about 150 kms from Kolkata, is the home of traditional terracotta artists of Bengal. The annual terracotta fair will be held here on 4-6 November, 2016. Shoppers who delight in ethnic art-ware can choose from a range of traditional toys, small household artefacts, decorative items and jewellery, all made of terracotta.             The long-necked horse seen everywhere is the typical toy manufactured here by the clay artists. During this festival, the houses of artisans would be decorated by various terracotta products, from where anyone can buy. There will be no stall of these handmade products in the fair.               Panchmura village of Bankura district, near Bishnupur, is the home of about 300 artists making terracotta items. Terracotta means baked clay. The crafts persons colour their products with clay itself and fire them in kilns with the help of dry eucalyptus leaves. Various anim...

Hundreds of singers across Bengal performed in the city during the last 10 days. Today is the closing function at Rabindra Sadan, in which more 4 veteran and popular singers of Bengal would be honoured with 'Sangeet Samman' (the honour in the field of music), they are: Juthika Roy, Madhuri Chattopadhyay, Jatileshwar Mukhopadhyay and Hoimanti Shukla. PS: The Honourable Chief Minister of West Bengal felicitated the veteran singers of Bengal this evening with prestigious 'Sangeet Samman' at Rabindra Sadan. The popular singer of yesteryears Juthika Roy expressed her gratitude to receive the honour and sang a line of popular bhajan 'mohe chaakar rakho ji'. Then Madhuri Chattopadhyay sang 3 songs publicly after long time: 'tomai aamai pratham dekha' and 'oli omon kore noi'. Dwijen Mukhopadhyay, Jatileshwar Mukhopadhyay, Banashree Sengupta, Hoimanti Shukla and other artists also rendered several popular songs on requests. On 12 April, the State...

Various mela or fair run in the first month of Bengal. Some of them: Bhagabati Mela - This fair use to organise in Bengal to pray for a good and auspicious year. Bhadreshwarnath-er Mela - Choitra Neel Sankranti to Boishakh Sankranti - a month-long fair being organise at Shiva temple of Bhadreswar in Hooghly district. Sandeswar-er Mela - This fair is being organised from last ten days of Choitra to first week of Boishakh at the Shiva temple of Chuchura in Hooghly district. Rath-er Mela of Akshoy Tritia - On the auspicious day of Akshoy Tritia, a chariot carrying idol of Annapurna use to go from the temple of Telini Para of Bhadreswar, to the Kangali ghat of river Ganga, where the fair run for the day. Noajon-er Mela - This fair is being organised at the village Natphare near Somra Bazar station of Hooghly district. Lord Shiva is the Noajon. Many palm fruits use to sell here, so the folks also call it Talshanser mela (the fair of palm fruits). -- A. B.

Poush Sankranti means Uttarayan Sankranti. And from ancient times, Uttarayan Kaal is the best time to start auspicious works in our country. And Ganga Sagar Mela held during this Makar Sankranti. Sagardwip - the old island of Sundarban area in the coast of Bay of Bengal, and its ancient name is Shwetdwip (the white island). The southern part of it, where river Ganga meets Sagar, named Ganga Sagar. Once upon a time, the Sagardwip was full of inhabitants in an area of 170 square miles. About 2 lakh people plunged in typhoon in the year 1688 and since then, the island remained abandoned for ages. The foreign merchants and English re-discovered the island abandoned. In the year 1727, Alexander Hamilton mentioned it as a sacred pilgrimage for Hindus. Since ancient times, sages and pilgrims used to take holy dip here. In the eighteenth century, the island became a harbour. William Hicky wrote in his book 'Memoirs Of William Hicky' that he landed here from Madras by ship...

Kolkata Phool Mela or Flower Fair 2012 in picture, organised at Eden Gardens. -- A. B.

Joydeb-Kenduli Mela running from this auspicious Makar Sankranti for 3 days at the riverbank of Ajoy of Joydeb in Birbhum district of Bengal. A flavour of rural fair alongwith live performance of Bauls are the main attractions of this mela. Many changes occurred in this year's fair - about 40% stalls and 'Aakhra' of Bauls shifted at the sand bank of river Ajoy, so the village may spare some space for day-to-day works. Moreover, the riverbank provided 'moram' road. Increased the number of lavatory and drinking water tube-wells. Lights, securities and administrative amenities provide this year for 7 days in spite of 3 days only. About 500 police personnel including females provided at all the 3 watch towers and 6 police booths in the fair. A details guide map of the mela also being provided this year. As a whole, Joydeb mela is running with changed and enhanced facilities this year.-- A. B.

Tens of thousands of devotees have assembled at the Sagar Island in West Bengal to take a dip tomorrow early morning in the Ganga where it flows out into the Bay of Bengal on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. The state government has made elaborate arrangements for the annual Gangasagar fair began today. Over four lakh devotees have reached the island with around 20,000 more waiting on the other side of the river Buriganga. As there is no Kumbh Mela this year, the number of pilgrims is likely to increase. About 150 km from Kolkata in South 24-Parganas district, this island is considered auspicious by the Hindus, who gather here on Makar Sankranti, which is annually celebrated Jan 14, for a holy dip and to pray by offering coconuts at the Kapil Muni temple. The devout believe that a single dip in the sacred water washes off sins of one's lifetime. This year, the pilgrims will take the holy dip on Sunday too. A three-pronged security arrangement has been ma...