Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

In old Kolkata, Rath Yatra celebration was very gorgeous. It was the British Raaj in India, the aristocrats used to observe Rath Yatra in Kolkata with pomp and grandeur. Sheth and Basak family of Bowbazar used to organise rally of Rath on the road with their Kul Devta Govind ji. The Rath was 70 feet high. The Rath used to pull on Bowbazar Street upto Laldighi of Dalhousie.  A gorgeous Rath used to run at Posta area of Kolkata. People of all ages used to enjoy the rally with colourful flags in hand, khol kartal were the musical instruments used to play throughout the rally. Some used to spray atar, keora, aguru and sandalwood water among the devotees.  Batasa was the prasad used to throw from the chariot amongst devotees and they used to pick those. Ramkanai Adhikary's Rath of Bowbazar was very famous in old Kolkata. It was almost 150 years old. But now a small chariot use to pull within family.  A silver Rath was very famous in old Kolkata.  Its owner was Rajchandr...

  Kadambari Devi was born on 5 July, 1859 at Jorasanko Thakur Bari. Her father was one of the 'Bazar Sarkar' of Debendranath Tagore's family. Debendranath wanted to arrange marriage of his son Jyotirindranath with this nine years old child Kadambari. At that time, Jyoti dada of Rabindranath was 19 years old. It was not the suitable age of marriage for Kadambari, but, as the then society of Bengal did not allow aged unmarried girls, it was the custom of Hindu samaj to arrange for an early marriage of the girl /> But, why they choose a girl who used to live inside the Tagore house of Jorasanko? It is not an enigma, but a bare fact that, they were Pirali Brahmin and none of the father of girl child in Bengal was ready to arrange marriage of his girl child with a Pirali Brahmin. The fact was bitter, but it was true. Therefore, the marriage took place on 5th July, 1868 when Kadambari was only nine. Many people believe that, one should never get married on the same date of...

Holi or Dol Utsav is a festival of Kolkata since the time of Job Charnock. It was the beginning of British colonialism. A society called neo "Babu samaj" was emerging. At that time, poet Iswar Gupta wrote a poem "ক্রমেতে হোলির খেলা, নবীনা নাগরী মেলা, ছুটে মুটে যায় এক ঠাই। যার ইচ্ছা হয় যারে, আবির কুমকুম মারে, পিচকারি কেহ দেয় কায়।" Historians have written, at that time, all the persons and houses becomes red by the abir and red colour. Irrespective of castes and creeds, all the persons used to observe this Dol utsav with fun and frolic. They have energy, enthusiasm to participate in this festival by dint of their emotions and sincerity.          Balthazar Solviens has wrote in his 'Le Hindous' book about this Dol Utsav in Kolkata - "alongwith Hindus, Christians and Muslims too used to participate in this festival. The exiled Nawab of Lucknow Nawab Wajed Ali Shah with his parishad, used to participate in this Holi and penned a new song.   On this da...

Wishing you all near & dear friends of India and abroad - a very auspicious Bengali New Year 1428.                     "SHUBHO NOBOBORSHO"

This year, the first Durga idol of Kumartuli is ready to set sail. The idol is 9 feet tall and 18 feet in width. The weight of the idol is about 350 kg. The background of the idol is black and decoration is in silver. Yellow colour is there in the foreground. The idol will be shipped in a few days and it will take 45 days to reach to Sydney of />        The artisan of this idol at Kumartuli said that last year they hardly despatched only eight idols due to prevailed pandemic situation. Otherwise, about 30-35 idols they use to despatch every year as order of foreign countries. This year they're hopeful to get more orders of Durga idol from UK, USA, Germany and />       As usual, the present idol is too made of fibre-glass. They sanitized the idol and the courier will fumigate it before shipping. They use to despatch idols in cargo planes, but, this idol is too heavy to despatch in planes. So, it is being shipped.

Poet Shakti Chattopadhyay was died on this day, in the year 1995 in Kolkata at the age of 61. He was one of the powerful and popular poet of Bengal, contemporary of Sunil Gangopadhyay.            Shakti Chattopadhyay was a bohemian poet. He loved to travel hills, forests and villages of Bengal with friends, and sometimes, alone.            He was born on 25 November, 1933 at Jaynagar of South 24-Parganas.              He was very strong in Bengali language. His poems are literally gems of Bengali literature. The admirer of Bengali poems can never forget his immortal poems - "Abani, Bari Achcho?" (অবনী বাড়ি আছো) and "Jete Pari, Kintu Keno Jabo" (যেতে পারি, কিন্তু কেন যাবো)             In my college life, in late 70s, I had a scope to listen his poems by the poet himself, when he physically attended a literary function at Sisir Mancha, Kolkata. It wa...

R D Burman was born in Kolkata on 27 June, 1939. His full name is Rahul Dev Burman. He was the only son of great music composer and singer Sachin Dev Burman. R D Burman was known by his nick name Pancham. He was a ;      Since 1960 to 1990 he had composed so many super hit songs for Hindi film industry in Mumbai. He also sang and composed many Bengali songs both for Bengali films and basic records. Asha Bhosle will be remembered ever by the Bangla song lovers for her basic Bengali songs composed by her husband Pancham ;      Pancham da used to love music and songs since childhood. His parents encouraged him to learn various instruments and love songs. "Hai Apna Dil To Awara" - in this song by Hemant Kumar, R D B played the unforgettable mouth organ in so young ;       In his film career of about thirty years, Pancham da composed songs for 331 films. The Bollywood films will ever remember the outstanding contribution of Panch...