Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

Vasant Utsav of this year on the auspicious day of Dol Yatra, has been observed with joy and happiness at Shantiniketan this morning. The students of Viswa Bharati took part in the 'Prabhat Pheri' with the traditional song of Rabindra Nath Tagore "Ore Grihabasi Khol Dwar Khol Laglo Je Dol". -- A. B.

This year's Vasant Utsav At Golf Green held with traditional fanfare and enthusiasm this morning. -- A. B.

Dol or Holi celebration in the Kolkata campus of Rabindra Bharati University in advance on 2nd March, 2015. -- A. B.

Kids and young lads celebrating Chinese New Year with traditional fanfare and enthusiasm at Bo Barrack of Kolkata. They are enjoying the dance of dragons. "Happy Chinese New Year" has been written in English on the wall of red-green house near Bowbazar thana. -- A. B.

On 3 Januar, 2015, American Historical Association (AHA) honoured a Bengalee in New York with prestigious "Toynbee Prize" for the year 2014. He is Dipesh Chakrabarty. Named after Arnold J. Toynbee, the Toynbee Prize Foundation was chartered in 1987 "to contribute to the development of the social sciences, as defined from a broad historical view of human society and of human and social problems." Currently, it is awarded every other year for work that makes a significant contribution to the study of global history. Dipesh Chakrabarty was chosen by unanimous consensus by the Selection Committee of Toynbee Prize in last July acknowledging the importance and influence of his work. Dipesh Chakrabarty has taught at Chicago since 1995 and is a scholar of South-Asian history, postcolonial studies and global history. Best known for his 2000 volume 'Provincializing Europe', he has made major contributionsto the historical fields at the core of

Saraswati puja 2015 of Naopara, Nalikul, Hooghly. -- A. B.

1-2) Saraswati puja of 2015 at Roypara, Bandipur, Hooghly. 3-4) Saraswati puja of Patkotala, Tarun Sangha, Bandipur, Hooghly. 5-7) Saraswati puja of Rajakpara, Bandipur, Hooghly. 8-9) Saraswati puja of Bandipur, Hooghly. 10-11) Saraswati puja of Sakal Milan Club, Bandipur, Hooghly. 12-13) Saraswati puja of Bandipur, Hooghly. 14-16) Saraswati puja of Bandipur, Hooghly. 17) Saraswati puja of Acharjee Para, Bandipur, Hooghly. 18-19) Saraswati puja of Dakshinkul Primary School, Nalikul, Hooghly. 20-21) Saraswati puja of Pancha Milani Sangha, Nalikul, Hooghly. -- A. B.

Saraswati Puja 2015 at Nalikul Deshbandhu Banimandir High School. -- A. B.

This morning, I went to a village of Bengal to observe puja of Goddess Saraswati. -- A. B.

Today is Saraswati puja, the goddess of Learning is being worshipped in every household. So, I went to a village of Bengal to observe it. When I was passing a 'para', I noticed Saraswati on the yard of a house. The arrangements were very minimal - A room for the idol decorated with sarees, the mother of the kids was cleaning the yard and a buffalo was remained there with feeds and the 'gola' of paddy was there right beside the buffalo. I liked the scene very much and captured it for the readers. -- A. B.

Today I went to Kumartuli to observe the making of Saraswati Idols by the famous clay artists there. Saraswati puja is only 14 days to go. So, the artists of Kumartuli are very busy to prepare idols of Goddess Saraswati. -- A. B.