The festive spirit sets in with Durga Puja, a five-day ritual
and celebration for the ten-armed goddess Durga--a major festival
when excitement and activity touches a feverish pitch. Durga Puja
is the most notable of the religious and social festivals in Kolkata
and occurs over a period of five days in October. It is celebrated
every autumn and it is a good time to visit Kolkata and get the essence
of the city. For five days, the city is all lit up and resonant with
the sound of drums. The pandals (where the festivals take place) and
the idols of the gods and the goddesses are great works of art.
Other notable festivals include Diwali, Id, Holi, Christmas, New Year,
Saraswati Puja and Poush parbon (harvest festival). Diwali,
the festival of lights, is the worship of goddess Kali. Clay lamps
and firecrackers are a part of the festival.
Rathajatra, organized by ISKCON, is Lord Jagannath's Car festival.
Holi, the festival of colours, is a celebration of the spring
season.
Muslim festivals, the two Ids, are also celebrated with great
rejoicing.
Unique, perhaps, is the Christmas festivity that continues
till the New Year.
Some of the cultural festivals are Kolkota Book Fair, Dover Lane Music
festival, Kolkota Film Festival, and National Theatre Festival. |