Mahalaya: Ya Devi!
Sunita remembers the Mahalaya, when the Goddess is invoked to drive away darkness from our lives. A poem for the Durga Puja, in Different Truths. She of the allied forces,He...
Pan-India Navaratri Celebrations with Special Reference to South India
takes an overview of the Navaratri celebrations in Gujarat, Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka – a comparative study. It’s a predominantly women-dominated festival, celebrating Shakti. Navratri is celebrated by observing fast and...
How Little Adrija Battled an Evil Uncle!
Durga Puja brings joy and gaiety. Children and local artistes participate in plays, dance dramas and other cultural extravaganzas. Adrija, the protagonist, too was busy rehearsing a dance drama...
Durga, the Adya Shakti: An Invocation
Rashmi invokes Durga, the Adya Shakti (Primeval Mother), the supreme source of power and energy to slay the demons of the present day. A poem on contemporary women’s issues for the Durga...
The Fever and Frenzy of Puja Grips Kolkata with Renewed Vigour
With the advent of Durga Puja, Bengalis in Kolkata – and elsewhere – go berserk with joy. The fever and frenzy of Puja grip the city. A month or two...
Padmavati: A Hurricane of the Heaven
A teenager, Padmavati, tried to save her pet duck, Hari, from being sacrificed at the altar of the Goddess. No one could ever imagine challenging the oppressive village landlords,...
When Hanuman Cussed and Rama Smoked Bidi!
Arindam revisits the Ramdal and Ramlila and recalls the terrible faux pas that left Hanuman angry and cussing. He also recalls an incident that his friend, Vijay, told him in...
Durga Ma: My Celestial Mother
Anoucheka turns her gaze inwards and seeks answers from Durga of how she would fulfil her promises in this world of false pleasures. Here’s a poem for the Durga Puja...
I met Goddess Durga as an Army Wife in Bengal and the Gorkha Regiment
The Durga Puja celebrations in Bengal were definitely very memorable as a perceptible aura of vivacity and verve presided over the holy and divine solemnity. Ladies dressed in their traditional attire...
Bangaliyana: A Search and Assertion of the Bengali Identity on Foreign Lands
Bangaliyana is the search for the composite Bengali identity in distant lands. It’s not just the clothes, food, music, adda, humour or language but something much deeper. Durga Puja is...