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For five days a year, the eastern Indian metropolis of Kolkata takes on a Nocturnal flavor.
While the city celebrates a variety of "Pujos", none is Grander than the Durga Puja, which coincides with the second half of Navratri and culminates in the Grand Celebration of Vijaya Dashami - also know as Dusshera in other parts of the country.
Every locality, every sub locality organizes its on "Puja" , with its own uniquely themed "Pandals" and lightning arrangements.
The entire city comes alive in the evening with a festive atmosphere and millions of people hopping from "Pandal" to "Pandal" admiring the workmanship and design of each of these unique creations. People go "Pandal" hopping from early in the evening till early hours of the morning the following day with their friends and family, helping themselves to a myriad of street food along the way, which is also one of Kolkata's specialties.
Five days of festivities culminate in the Vijaya Dashami celebrations and immersion of the Durga idols in the holy Hooghly river.
Being in Kolkata during the Durga Puja is an experience bar none -- one which I have been lucky to witness countless time since my childhood days int he city.
This time, I headed home to capture some of that spirit through my camera and lenses.
I witnessed a Durga Puja for the first time and was quite inspired by the energy that the festivities exuded. Thousands of Bengalis and non Bengalis of Bangalore gathered at the RBNMS grounds for the festival.
Durga Puja (Bengali: দুর্গা পূজা or Assamese: দুর্গা পূজা or Oriya: ଦୁର୍ଗା ପୂଜା [d̪urɡa pudʒa], listen: About this sound listen (help·info), "Worship of Durga"), also referred to as Durgotsava (Bengali: দুর্গোৎসব or Oriya: ଦୁର୍ଗୋତ୍ସବ Bengali pronunciation: [d̪urɡot̪ʃɔb], listen: About this sound Durgotsava (help·info), "Festival of Durga") or Sharadotsav is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Vijayadashami. The dates of Durga Puja celebrations are set according to the traditional Hindu calendar and the fortnight corresponding to the festival is called Devi Paksha, "Fortnight of the Goddess"). Devi Paksha is preceded by Mahalaya, the last day of the previous fortnight Pitri Paksha, "Fortnight of the Forefathers"), and is ended on Kojagori Lokkhi Puja ("Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon Night").
Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomises the victory of Good over Evil.
Durga Puja is widely celebrated in the Indian states of Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Manipur, Odisha, Tripura and West Bengal, where it is a five-day annual holiday.[3] In West Bengal, Assam ,Tripura, which has a majority of Bengali Hindus and Assamese Hindus, it is the biggest festival of the year. Not only is it the biggest Hindu festival celebrated throughout the state, it is also the most significant socio-cultural event in Bengali Hindu society. Apart from eastern India, Durga Puja is also celebrated in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Durga Puja is also celebrated as a major festival in Nepal where 91% is Hindu, and in Bangladesh where the 8% population is Hindu. Nowadays, many diaspora Assamese and Bengali cultural organisations arrange for Durgotsab in countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Singapore and Kuwait, among others. In 2006, a grand Durga Puja ceremony was held in the Great Court of the British Museum.[4]
The prominence of Durga Puja increased gradually during the British Raj in Bengal and erstwhile Assam.[5] After the Hindu reformists identified Durga with India, she became an icon for the Indian independence movement. In the first quarter of the 20th century, the tradition of Baroyari or Community Puja was popularised due to this. After independence, Durga Puja became one of the largest celebrated festivals in the whole world. It is also the largest open Air Art Exhibition in the World.
Durga Puja also includes the worship of Shiva, who is Durga's consort (Durga is an aspect of Goddess Parvati), in addition to Lakshmi, Saraswati with Ganesha and Kartikeya, who are considered to be Durga's children.[6] Worship of mother nature is done, through nine types of plant (called "Kala Bou"), including a plantain (banana) tree, which represent nine divine forms of Goddess Durga.[7] Modern traditions have come to include the display of decorated pandals and artistically depicted sculptures (murti) of Durga, exchange of Vijaya greetings and publication of Puja Annuals.
Durga Pooja, during Dasara festival is a big celebration here in India, especially in the Northern parts. Bangalore being a cosmopolitan city hosts several such celebrations through the city. This is in one such location. To look out for are the street food with awesome food.
• India, Karnataka: Aihole, Durga Temple •
2012 0016p2h0017lr
pano 2 shots - 4300x4300 dots (mag quality print cm 36,5x36, 5 - inkjet quality print 75x75 cm)
Warmly recommended to view large on black
----------------------------–––––––––- © Stefano Guadagni ----------------------------–––––––––-
Durga Puja was celebrated last week across India ... most revered festivity for Bengali Hindus ...
BKC_0259a
Date Shot: 20-10-2012
Nikon D800
Nikon 105mm 2.5 AI-s
f/4, 1/160s
Aperture Priority
Matrix Metering
ISO 2000
Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra, is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navaratri every year in the Indian subcontinent.
Finished painting I started in Anne Grgich's class.
Entitled "Durga Crying"
This form of the Goddess is the embodiment of feminine and creative energy. Also a warrior Goddess.
Durga Puja, also referred to as Durgotsava or Sharadotsav is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga
Experience Durga Puja in Kolkata........ An Experience of A Lifetime! September 30-October 4, 2014
Durga Puja - the ceremonial worship of the mother goddess, is one of the most important festivals, is celebrated every year in the month of October with much gaiety and grandeur in India and abroad, especially in Bengal, where the ten-armed goddess riding the lion and killing the Buffalo-Demon (Mahishasura) is worshipped with great passion and devotion.
The traditional icon of the goddess worshiped during the Durga Puja is in line with the iconography delineated in the scriptures. In Durga, the Gods bestowed their powers to co-create a beautiful goddess with ten arms, each carrying their most lethal weapon. The tableau of Durga also features her four children - Kartikeya, Ganesha, Saraswati and Lakshmi.
More, hinduism.about.com/od/durgapuja/a/durga_puja_history.htm
The huge temporary canopies - held by a framework of bamboo poles and draped with colourful fabric - that house the icons are called 'pandals'. Modern pandals in Kolkata are innovative, artistic and decorative at the same time, offering a visual spectacle for the numerous visitors who go 'pandal-hopping' during the four days of Durga Puja.
Durga Puja@Kolkata 2012 - Lake Town Adibasibrindo
Images of Bengal, India
Experience Durga Puja in Kolkata........ An Experience of A Lifetime! September 30-October 4, 2014
Durga Puja - the ceremonial worship of the mother goddess, is one of the most important festivals, is celebrated every year in the month of October with much gaiety and grandeur in India and abroad, especially in Bengal, where the ten-armed goddess riding the lion and killing the Buffalo-Demon (Mahishasura) is worshipped with great passion and devotion.
The traditional icon of the goddess worshiped during the Durga Puja is in line with the iconography delineated in the scriptures. In Durga, the Gods bestowed their powers to co-create a beautiful goddess with ten arms, each carrying their most lethal weapon. The tableau of Durga also features her four children - Kartikeya, Ganesha, Saraswati and Lakshmi.
More, hinduism.about.com/od/durgapuja/a/durga_puja_history.htm
The huge temporary canopies - held by a framework of bamboo poles and draped with colourful fabric - that house the icons are called 'pandals'. Modern pandals in Kolkata are innovative, artistic and decorative at the same time, offering a visual spectacle for the numerous visitors who go 'pandal-hopping' during the four days of Durga Puja.
Durga Puja@Kolkata 2012 - Agradoot Uday Sangha, Bhawnipur
Images of Bengal, India
The goddess #Durga being worshipped by Hindus. More on #Hinduism www.amazon.com/HINDUISM-Hinduism-Beginners-Understanding-...
@C R Park, New Delhi.
The Navratri is observed during the nine days period from, pratipada (1st tithi) to Navami (9th tithi) of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashwin (September-October). Shakti or Divine Mother. represents prakriti, counterpart of purusha jointly making possible the creation of the world according to the religious ideology of Goddess worship. The legend is that two demons Shumbh and Nishumbh became so powerful that their atrocities made the gods leave their seats of power and flee for life. With no solution in sight all the gods got together and prayed to the primordial power to save them. They continued to worship & pray for nine days, where on the primordial power (Aadi Shakti) appeared in the form of Durga and took upon herself the combined might of all the gods and annihilated the demons. As such it is the worship of divine force to overcome evil forces. During the nine days period, fasting and austere living is adopted. Mother goddess is worshipped with devotion.
Durga Puja (worship) is the biggest street carival in the world. The whole city of Calcutta pours into the streets from the evening till late hours for six days to hop through more than thousand pandals erected to host the goddess. In other cities of India too the festival is celebrated, but not in the scale as grand as in Calcutta. The pandals themselves are works of art representing various art forms. Calcutta is famous for its art and culture and is an art powerhouse in Asia.
kalighat
Durga Puja (Bengali: দুর্গা পূজা,Bengali pronunciation: [d̪urɡa pudʒa]; listen: Durga Puja (help·info), ‘Worship of Durga’), also referred to as Durgotsava (Bengali: দুর্গোৎসব Bengali pronunciation: [d̪urɡot̪ʃɔb], listen: Durgotsava (help·info), ‘Festival of Durga’) or Sharadotsav is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijayadashami. The dates of Durga Puja celebrations are set according to the traditional Hindu calendar and the fortnight corresponding to the festival is called Devi Paksha, ‘Fortnight of the Goddess’). Devi Paksha is preceded by Mahalaya, the last day of the previous fortnight Pitri Paksha, ‘Fortnight of the Forefathers’), and is ended on Kojagori Lokkhi Puja (‘Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon Night’).
Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomises the victory of Good over Evil
Durga Puja (worship of Goddess Durga) is celebrated in a big way all over India especially in the eastern part of India. tHe artisans are decorating the idol of goddess Durga for sending the sam to Pandals. Over 3000 durga puja pandals are built every year and the decorators compete against each other to provide the best look to their pandals.
Preparation for immersing the idol of Durga at the Dawki river. This is the last ritual of a five day long Durga Puja celebration. Dawki happens to be right at the border of India and Bangladesh, and has the clearest water I have ever seen for a river of that magnitude.