We live in a country where every festival is celebrated with great zeal. Every state has its own different and colourful style of celebrating festivals. Today, let us know more about Durga Puja. We have all heard and read several stories of Goddess Durga during our childhood days. Some of us have also been zealously celebrating this festival for all these years. Like most of the Indian festivals, Durga Puja festival too, symbolizes the victory of the Good over the Evil. This festival marks the victory of the Goddess Durga (the Good) over the demon Mahishasura (the Evil).Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava in West Bengal, is a festival that celebrates the worship of Goddess Durga. This is the most significant festival in the state of West Bengal. Some other states of India which celebrate Durga Puja joyously are Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and so on. Apart from India, Nepal and Bangladesh also celebrates this festival widely.Durga Puja Idols
The idols for Durga Puja in Kolkata are created in Kumartuli, an area located in the northern part of the city. The artists who create and design the idols use the traditional methods. Use of clay is dominant. The artists collect clay from the banks of a particular river as a part of the holy ritual. Along with clay, the artists also use bamboo sticks, straws and jute strings while making the idol. The artists work in two groups while preparing the idols. One group does the skeleton structure of the bamboo and straw. The other group does the clay mixing and the applications. Some artists also use plaster of Paris for this purpose. Over a time, many artists are making use of eco friendly colours in order to avoid environmental hazards. The process of making a Durga idol in short is as given below:
- Basic structure of the Durga idols is made with the help of straws and bamboo sticks. This also includes clay mixing and applications.
- The layers of the clay are then applied.
- Palms, head and feet (which are separately made) are then attached to the main torso.
- The head is attached to the main torso.
- The idol is then kept for drying.
- The mould of Plaster of Paris is poured on the idol.
- It is dried once again and then, the plaster of Paris is separated.
- Thin coat of clay is applied again in order to strengthen the joints of the torso.
- The idol is painted and the hair (made out of jute) is attached to the idol.
Durga Puja in Kolkata:
In Kolkata, Durga Puja is celebrated for a total span of ten days. Every Bengali considers these ten days as the most important and significant time of the year. The city of Kolkata is adorned with thousands of pandals on the streets. Every pandal worships the idol of the Goddess twice a day by reciting the ‘aartis’.Some of the most popular Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata include:
- Adi Ballygunge
- Abhijaan Club Haridevpur
- Behala Yubakbrindo
- Chokroberia Sarbajanin
- Dorponaryan Tagore Street
- Goabagan Park Sarbojanin
- Hindusthan Park Tarun Sangho
- Kumartooli Sarbojonin
- Mukul Sangha Behala
- Nobankur Sangha Lalabagan
- Naboday Pallimangal Sarbojanin
- Notun Pally Prodip Sangho
- Park Circus Sarbojanin
- Parasar Navaudyay Sangha
- Sapnar Bagan Sarbojanin
- Sontoshpur Lake Pally
- Salimpur Pally
- Tarun Sangha, Dumdum Park
- Udyanpally Shilpara
- Vivekananda Atheletic, Club Haridevpur
- Wellington Square Sarbojanin
- Yubobrindo-Ultodanga
Apart from the ones mentioned above, some of the ‘must see’ pandals in Kolkata during this festival include Bagbazaar, Kumartuli Park, College Square, Mohammad Ali Park, Santosh Mitra Square, Badamtala Ashar Sangha, Suruchi Sangha, Ekdalia Evergreen, Bose Pukur Sitala Mandir and Jodhpur Park. These are considered to be the most prestigious Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata.People in Kolkata decorate their houses by lighting lamps, putting up garlands and other such flower arrangements. Sweets and savories like aloo posto, chola dal, bandhakopir dalna, mishti doi, labra, roshogulla, nimki, patishapta and so on.Such are the grand celebrations of Durga Puja in Kolkata. Some of these years, take some time off from your busy schedule and visit Kolkata during this festival to have an enriching and blissful experience.займ на карту без отказов круглосуточновзять кредит онлайн