Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

Ganga Dashahara of this year is being celebrated across Bengal. It is the observance of myth of descent of river Ganga by the King Sagar. And the puja of river Ganga is being observe between 21 May to 30 May every year. Here in this picture, devoted people offering pujas to goddess Ganga. -- A. B.

31 May, 2012 : World No-Tobacco Day. Many seminars, rallies, speeches will be there all day long. But how many persons felt motivated to quit tobacco, it will remain as vague as usual. But Howrah, the city on the other bank of river Ganga became successful after started anti-tobacco campaign 4 years ago. Now smoking and chewing tobacco publicly is punishable offence in Howrah. So, the question is, when Howrah became successful, why not Kolkata? A positive and motivated attitude should be given to quit tobacco and to stop its uses publicly. -- A. B.

About 50,000 people of Kolkata gathered on the roadside and around 70,000 more people inside Eden Gardens felicitated warmly the team KKR and Shah Rukh Khan alongwith the CM and CAB. The team KKR started their journey of 5 kilometers from Hazra to Eden Gardens on this open truck. But later took shelter in AC bus of the team owing to hard heat of summer noon. The truck was decorated with blue and white Bangla words - 'Korechi, Lorechi, Jitechi Re!' which means - we did, we fought, we won. -- A. B.

Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL Trophy for the first time. The team KKR with SRK arriving Kolkata today with the trophy. 3-cheers for KKR - Hip Hip Hurray! -- A. B.

Sweating much in humid weather of May? Weather office looking for clouds too. Heat of summer noon. So, you want a relief within reach? Just go to Nicco Park and meet the only sea-beach of Kolkata - 'Wet-O-Wild'. The main attraction of this summer is the wave pool of this little sea. You can swim on the waves of sea, or just wet and dance in 'Rain Dance'. Moreover, a 'Multiple Wave Runner' is there, 'Kitpool' for the kids and 'Beach Café'. And the most remarkable news is that, you need not to pay extra money to enter at the sea beach - as it is a part of Nicco Park. And the opening time of this artificial sea beach is from 11:30 in the morning to 6:30 in the evening. So, why are you thinking? Just take a bus, and go to the sea-beach. -- A. B.

27 May 2012 : IPL Final in Chennai, battle of bat & ball between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. Who will win the match - captain Gautam Gambhir or Mahendra Singh Dhoni? Kolkatans wish that KKR will win the IPL Trophy for the first time. Kolkata is confident that team of Brand Ambassador Shah Rukh Khan will win tomorrow. Cricket lovers of the city alongwith celebrities will watch the mega final of IPL tomorrow on giant screen outside Eden Gardens. -- A. B.

On 25 May, in the year 1888, Star theatre of Kolkata started journey. From Girish Ghosh to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, - so many personalities arrived here and acted, participated again and again. But one day, in the year 1991, fire broke at Star Theatre, and it burnt fully. After 13 years, this heritage theatre house re-opened with a renovated look on 13 October, 2004. Star Theatre - the century-old theatre house of the city witnessed arrival of famous persons like Ramakrishna, Rabindranath who used to sit at the front row to watch play. Even Swami Vivekananda first introduced Sister Nivedita to all here in the year 1898. So many stars of yesteryears like Nati Binodini, Saraju Debi, Shishir Bhaduri, Dani Mitra, Uttam Kumar, Soumitra Chattopadhyay, Gita Dey, Sabitri Chattopadhyay, Madhabi Mukhopadhyay performed here. Kolkata Corporation undertaken the Star Theatre and inaugurated again on 25 May, 2012 to mark the starting point in the year 1888. Yesterday's function a

Today is the 114 birthday of legendary poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. On this occasion, a cultural function will be held at Nazrul Mancha at 5pm and 3-day long (25-28 May) cultural programmes would be held simultaneously at Nazrul Mancha, Rabindra Sadan, Shishir Mancha and Mohor Kunja. Nazrul's writings explore themes such as love, freedom, and revolution; he opposed all bigotry, including religious and gender. Throughout his career, Nazrul wrote short stories, novels, and essays but is best known for his poems, in which he pioneered new forms like Ghazals. Nazrul was an advocate of the emancipation of women; both traditional and non- traditional women were portrayed by him with utmost sincerity.[17] Nazrul's songs are collectively called as Nazrul Sangeet. Nazrul's creativity diversified as he explored Hindu devotional music by composing Shama Sangeet, bhajans and kirtans, often merging Islamic and Hindu values. Nazrul's poetry and songs explored the

Durga puja - 150 days to go. The theme-makers started to take the venture of famous pujas of Kolkata. Sanatan Dinda has taken the job to implement the Durga puja of Barisha Club & 95 Pally Jodhpur Park. Both of them are of south Kolkata puja. Subodh Roy has taken the charge of Nalin Sircar Street puja. Theme-maker of this year's Tridhara Sammilani puja is Gouranga Kuilya. Dipak Ghosh taking the charge of Ballygunge Purba Pally puja. Amal Sarkar taking the job of Behala Natun Dal Durga puja. Anirban Das for Dum Dum Park Tarun Dal this year, Somnath Mukherjee (he has taken the charge of 6 Durga pujas this year) at Sanghasri. Mudiali in the competition this year and Sushanta Paul taking the charge. Shibshankar Das remained at Chakraberia Sarbajanin. Purnendu Dey also remained for Badamtala Ashar Sangha and Rajdanga Nabodaya Sangha. -- A. B.

This year Padma's hilsa would decorate dishes of Bengal's Jamai. Next Sunday Jamaisasthi. And today, 250-275 MT of silvery hilsa or ilish of river Padma of Bangladesh entered in the markets of Bengal. Jamaisasthi means ilish - ilish paturi, sorse ilish, bhapa ilish, doi ilish. Before the year 2008, Kolkata and other parts of Bengal used to relish ilish of Padma much. But, since three years, we're not getting much hilsa of Bangladesh owing to excessive taxes imposed on import of hilsa. -- A. B.

A 'Gateway of Kolkata' would be set up at the abandoned KoPT cargo sheds near the iconic Howrah bridge. The work is in progress as seen in this picture. -- A. B.

High-voltage IPL match tonight in Pune, between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils. Both the team eager to get the passport to go final. Delhi won 11 matches and Kolkata 10, but Delhi defeated Kolkata at Eden first and the match was disturbed by rains. Later Kolkata has taken sweet revenge in Delhi. And one thing is clear - both the team are determined to win and KKR depending on Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan and Abdulla. -- A. B.