www.flickr.com user G0SUB
The most anticipated festival of the year has finally arrived in Kolkata -- Durga Puja! It will run until the early hours of the morning on September 29, 2009.
Durga Puja is to Kolkata what Ganesh Chaturthi is to Mumbai. In honor of warrior Goddess Durga, elaborately rafted statues of Durga are installed in beautifully decorated podiums in almost every lane of the city during this festival.
Bengalis love Durga Puja as much as they love food, and indeed eating is a huge part of the festival. People flock to the streets to view the goddess statues amidst mesmerizing light shows, drumming, and aromatic food stalls. On the last day of the festival, the statues are paraded around the city before being submerged in the holy Ganges River. It's chaotic, crowded, and completely mesmerizing!
How best to see the Durga Puja celebrations in Kolkata? West Bengal Tourism has put together a number of sightseeing packages. A tour of the podiums costs 800 rupees in an air conditioned bus. Boat trips to see the statues being immersed are also offered. For more information and on-line reservations, see the West Bengal Tourism website.
http://www.amardurgapuja.com – Upload Durga Puja photographs & win tons of prizes. No matter where you live or which puja pandal you might have visited we invite you all.