Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

26th April, 2020, Sunday is the date of Akshaya Tritiya. 'Akshaya' means "unending wealth" and 'Tritiya' means the third lunar day. The day is considered auspicious by Hindus and Jains in many regions of India for new ventures, marriages, expensive investments such as in gold or other property, and any new beginnings. It is also a day of remembrance for the loved ones who have died.    The day is regionally significant for women, married or unmarried, who pray for the well being of the men in their lives or the one they may in future get engaged to. After prayers, they distribute germinating gram (sprouts), fresh fruits and Indian sweets. If the Akshaya Tritiya falls on a Monday ( Rohini ), the festival is believed to be even Fasting, charity and helping others on this day is another festive practice. Very important, and as related to the name of the festival itself is the best of  Akshaya Patra , to  Draupadi , by God  Krishna , during the visit of s

In the time of spring or Vasant, the puja of spring time goddess Durga use to held in the month of March. This year, Basanti puja will be held on 31st March in Bengal. 30th March is Shasthi Adhibas of Debi Basanti, Shasthi is upto 10:42 PM. 31st March is Saptami puja of Debi Basanti, Saptami is upto 10:38 PM. 3rd April is Dashami - immersion of Debi Basanti. Originally, this puja of goddess Durga used to observe in Bengali month Chaitra as the farmers have this time newly cultivated paddy and they could happily performed Basanti puja. Still now, Banedi families of Bengal perform puja of goddess Basanti. Below is the image of goddess Basanti;-                                                                      In the time of spring, the Annapurna Puja is also observe in Bengal. Anna means food or grains, Purna means full. Goddess Parvati here is in the form of Annapurna, giving Shiva the grains. It is symbolic as we like to puja goddess DURGA here as Mata Annapurna. This year Annap

25 February, 2020 is the Janma tithi (জন্মতিথি) of Sri Ramkrishna Paramahansa. Every year, on Shukla Dwitiya of month Falgun, the janma tithi of Sri Ramkrishna is being observed. On this auspicious occasion, various rituals like Puja, Arati, devotional songs are the main functions use to held at Kamarpukur - the birth place of Sri Ramkrishna, organised by Ramkrishna Mission every year. The divotees use to come there on this day to witness the function and pay homage to Thakur Ramkrishna.        

'Heritage Bengal' will pay homage to legendary singer composer Hemanta Mukhopadhyay on the eve of his birth centenary by organising a function on 14th and 15th February, 2020 at Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata. A short film of 35 minutes duration on Hemanta Mukhopadhyay will be screened there. A book named 'Neel Dhrubatara' (the blue northstar) on him will be published there in which complete list of his songs with valuable articles on him by eminent artists are the main attractions of this book. His rare photos also will be there in the book. Shubhajit and Kalyan Sarkar will play some classical based songs on sitar. Hemanta Mukhopadhyay will be remembered ever for his popular songs which will sing Srikanta Acharya and Jayati Chakraborty there at the function. The car used by him shall exhibit there for all. The two-days long programme will be inaugurated by Arati Mukhopadhyay and Soumitra Chattopadhyay. The function will start at 4:30 p.m. daily.