Durga Puja 2010

Durga Puja is round the corner . The Festival is celebrated in Bangalore very well, but I never get the spirit of Calcutta here . I dont think the festival can match the Calcutta fever ever.

Last time we enjoyed the Puja very much , but this time we are a bit tense as Ritu is carrying . The other day we asked Sonamoni, about her freind, and she said it shall be a girl.

Keeping our fingers crossed.

Durga Puja 2008 at Bangalore

Ma has been staying with us from Feb 2008 onwards. Ritu and I along with Sonamoni took went to see the Durga Puja held at Bangalore Air Force Camp at Murgeshpalya.

We went to see the Pujas on Maha Nabami. It was nice to see Durga Thakur once again. Sonamoni and Ritu was also there, and we all enjoyed it.

Later we went to the Shiv Temple beside Kempfort. Ma liked the temple and the Shivthakur ; after all this was one of the places one should visit in Bangalore.

Then we all came back home.

Tomorrow was Maha Dashami, some people call it Dassera . It was a holiday for me.

Ritu had also taken an off day from work - for her it was her Ma's bereavement anniversary. She did not get leave from office , so we got hold of a Bengali thakur moshai who did the pujas for the bathshorik.

Durga Puja 2008 has arrived

Durga Puja 2008 is here again. Normally during Durga Puja I go home at Dum Dum to enjoy the pujas in the true spirit . But this time I am staying back in Bangalore . This is not my first stay at Bangalore during the Pujas, I was there some time back at Koramangala too (Sarathi). At that time I was staying in Koramangala and the Durga Puja behind the house we resided .

We now stay at Old Aiport Road ( HAL ), Bangalore and one of the Durga Puja festivals are held opposite our house - in the Indian Army Air Force camps . Yesterday was Maha Sashti and we had visited the idol - it is always nice to see Durga Thakur everytime . It is THE greatest festivals of the Bengalis, and is celebrated world wide.

The Durga Puja lasts for 4 days , but it is the hearalding of the Puja which has all the fun in it . The Mahalaya rings in the bell - as after one week of it , Puja begins . The Bodhon is done on Maha Sasthi , and after that Saptami, Ashtami, Nabami and Dashami follows . Dashami draws an end to the Durga Puja as the idol is immersed on that day - preferably in the Holy Ganges .

During my childhood days we used to go out with Rangapisi, Pisimoni, Timmi and Chotokaku to buy new clothes. Then I used to burst crackers and toy pistols during the Pujas.

When I came out from Calcutta in 2002 I used to check out the Durga Puja sites on the internet - but never could I find the warmth and fun which I had in Calcutta .

Here in Bangalore , Durga Puja is celebrated with fervour and zest . Food lovers gather in flocks to the pandals as one gets to taste the best of Bengali food at this time of the year - otherwise they would have to travel places to get the same food.
Though Durga Puja is a time when all the Bengalis wait ; unfortunately for some it becomes remembered as a period of greif and sorrow .

So for them Durga Puja is a time for sorrow. My mother in law breathed her last during Maha Dashami 2007 and life is not been the same for Ritu anymore . This year Ritu shall be performing her Ma's ( my mother- in - law) Bhatshorik this 10th Oct 2008 .