Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

Tagore's Shantiniketan celebrated today the Holi or Dol Utsav as Vasant Utsav or festival of spring at Ashram Maath. So many tourists witnessed the function since early morning with much enthusiasm. The programme started with prayer and then the musical dance of 'Vasant' staged there following 'aabir khela'. Local rural artists performed with baul songs before the camera of media. The crowd enjoyed the whole day very much in a festiv mood. Also the celebrities like 'Saheb' of Kolkata enjoyed the utsav with colours. The dance-drama of Tagore 'Mayar Khela' would be staged there at the evening. -- A. B.

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

Today is Dol Purnima, the day on which Sri Krishna plays holi with Sri Radha and other gopika's. The festival of colours gets its true meaning by the celebrations with Radha-Krishna. The people of India enjoy the festival in a traditional way like the days of mythical Radha-Krishna. -- A. B.

Students of Rabindra Bharati Josasanko campus celebrated Holi - the Vasant Utsav of colours yesterday with traditional joy and happiness. Courtesy: ABP -- A. B.

International Women's Day on 8 March. And the commercialization of it going on through various advertisements. Some of them are: 1. Are you thinking to give a special gift to your most beloved this Women's Day? What would be better than an ornament? 2. Stay in touch with your most beloved with a happy ride of Women's Day - it would only give you the car... etc. etc. Hence, I think, whether it is Valentine's Day or Women's Day!-- A. B.

Madhuri Dixit will fly to London tomorrow to unveil her wax statue on 7 March. Her sons Arin (9) and Rayan (7) alongwith husband Dr Sriram Nene will accompany her to London. Her boys are particularly excited and can't wait to see their mother's twin. Although the details of the statue are still secret, Madhuri will wear desi sari since she will be representing India. The museum already houses the lookalikes of Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. -- A. B.

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Yesterday 'Kahaani' fame Vidya Balan came to the city for the publicity of her Kolkata-based Hindi movie 'Kahaani' and won the heart of the city with her frankness. She said, 'Ami Kolkatar meye' and recited Sukumar Roy's nonsense limerick 'Shunte pelam Posta giye' with laugh. Vidya arrived at Uttam Kumar Metro Station for the publicity of her new film slated for release on 9 March and asked the city-dwellers to watch her film. For 4 days, shooting of her film 'Kahaani' was held at Uttam Kumar and Kalighat Metro Station. So, she decided to start the publicity with Metro station. Vidya is thankful to the Metro authority for the co-operation during shooting periods and expressed her deep desire to be the Brand Ambassador of Kolkata Metro. The GM of Metro also expressed his happiness to get Vidya as their Brand Ambassador. -- 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

Vidy Balan - the actress had almost fallen on the railway tracks at a Kolkata metro station while filming for one of the scenes of the film in which she was supposed to run rearwards but unfortunately, she impinged on a weighing machine and tripped. However, the director and co-producer of the movie Sujoy Ghosh immediately sensed the bad situation and came to her rescue. Finally, after everything was fine, the shoot resumed. -- A. B.