My KOLKATA BLOG

Durga Puja although more than three months to go, the clay artistes of Kumortuli already engaged themselves making idols of deities. -- A. B.

Durga puja after the monsoon season, but, the clay artistes of Kumortuli are now already busy to prepare the various parts of idols of deities. -- A. B.

Puppet show of rural Bengal is an old tradition now one can only see in the Rath Yatra fair of villages. This profession is now becoming a hazard owing to the modern technology and reluctance of kids. When I was a kid of 10-12 years, I was fond of this puppet show at that small town where I was born. It was a regular feature of Shiba Ratri Mela. But now, only the untamed enthusiasm of its artists, the art remains. Now, puppet show is running at Bainchi Rath Mela in Bardhaman district of Bengal. But, how many days it will exist? The time has the answer. -- A. B.

Rath mela of the city now running just like a village fair at the Ramlila Maidan of Moulali. And the fair will run upto 20 July. It is just a piece of village, where everything can be found. From colourful plastic bangles, dolls made of mud, trifle utensils, cup-dish, papad, achar, morabba, ghugni, alur dam, phuchka, ice-cream etc etc. But the main attraction is obviously the market of birds - all are foreign birds - finches, java, love-bird, cocktail, badri... the crowds bargaining all the time. This fair is 100 years old. -- A. B.