As twilight descends upon the city of Kolkata, the streets come alive in a resplendent array of carnivalesque lights. A river of people – men, women and children – amble long, talking, laughing, blowing on vuvuzelas and indulging in the range of food stalls that line their path, creating a tide so powerful that none dare attempt to swim against it.
Durga Pujo is here.
One of the largest festivals in Kolkata, Durga Pujo is a celebration of the Goddess Durga and her defeat of Mahishasura, the personification of evil. While every Bengali is aware that this is the story behind the festival, they also have another one, which they affectionately like to believe. The other story is one of Durga (also known as Parvati), daughter of the Himalayas, and her children, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartik, returning to India for a four-day period from her husband’s home in Kailash (the husband being Lord Shiva). Bengalis like to welcome Durga as the daughter of India coming home to her motherland.
Learn more about the story of Durga here
From left - Ganesh, God of success; Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and prosperity; Durga, Warrior Goddess, Destroyer of Evil; Saraswati, Goddess of wisdom and music; Kartik, God of youth and power. At Durga's feet is the defeated Mahishasura
In line with this theme, Durga Pujo is a time for families to reunite and partake in the festivities together. These comprise of a variety of activities, from participating in community meals (bhog) to attending daily prayer rituals. But the main attractions of Durga Pujo are the pandals. During this festival, people of all ages can be seen on the streets, well into the early hours of the morning. These crowds are usually enormous, and even though extremely safe, they require a lot of stamina to withstand and can be difficult to navigate. To avoid said crowds, I went pandal-hopping with my family at 4.30am.
We got stuck in a traffic jam.
Gateways like these are built near the main roads to indicate that a pandal is nearby. As you can see, these gateways are popularly used as marketing opportunities for brands
The creation of the pandals and the thakurs within them begins months in advance, as they are seen as more than religious idols. Each pandal is created with a different artistic theme in mind, which extends even to the depiction of the Gods and Goddesses themselves. The result: a plethora of incredibly intricate art exhibitions throughout the city, which are a delight to explore.
Theme: Tribal
Theme: Urban Underground Neighbourhood
Theme: Earth and Clay
Theme: Modern Art
Theme: Bamboo
Each day of Durga Pujo is significant and has its own themes and rituals. In addition to these activities, communities often create their own programs, featuring a variety of performances and group activities. The streets are lined with food stalls serving a large variety of cuisines. For many artisans, this time of the year presents an opportunity to showcase their work – you will find many small stalls with beautiful handmade arts and crafts on display. During this festival, the city transforms into one of the largest carnivals in the world, and is truly marvellous to experience.
Interesting and informative read with beautiful photos.