For me, Durga Puja is all about art and creativity. As someone obsessed with creativity, art and artisans, I can’t help but be drawn to the festival every year. It’s fascinating to see how the set-up of pandals seems to kick off even earlier each year. The sight of scaffolding holes being dug and seeing those first few bamboo skeletons go up with dhoti-clad men hanging off them, gives me a little flutter in my tummy. And not just because of the precarious dangling of these men, but because, even for me, it’s a reminder that Maa Aschen (Goddess Durga is arriving).
An early trip to Kumartuli is another annual must-do. I love to see the idols in their almost raw mud state, with the artisans busy fashioning all the body parts that are laid out to dry. Long before the paint, drapes and headdresses come into play. This somehow really feels like the true spirit of Puja for me. Just looking at the craftsmanship is a moment that makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.
An early trip to Kumartuli is an annual must-do for Shaun
Another thing that never ceases to amaze me is how, after a couple of months of slow-motion building in bamboo, everything suddenly transforms within a week! All of a sudden, the barriers and lights are up, the cladding and paint are on, the pandals are completed and Ma is home once more for all to worship and wow over.
It’s a sight for sore eyes and makes me a little jealous in thinking that I’d have loved to grow up amidst this festival of colour and bright lights, and with one too many late nights where you’re not going to get told off for being up late!
Shaun and Pinky participate in sindoor khela and bhashan
Powerful faith, copious amounts of eating, constant changes of clothing, some more feasting and being severely sleep-deprived by the end of it… The true essence of Durga Puja, perhaps even the spirit of Calcutta itself, lies right there.
Now, that said, Pinky and I are not exactly your typical night owls hopping from pandal to pandal. We prefer the early mornings when it is easy to move around and get a proper ringside look at what the true artisans of Kolkata are actually made of. The craftsmanship and creativity on display at some of the pandals and idols should be way beyond the UNESCO tag and more of a stamp on the international Top 10 things-to-do list.
The craftsmanship and creativity on display goes way beyond the UNESCO tag
As for Kolkata, our very own ‘City of Joy’, where else today would a whole city of just about every religion get out on foot for the same religious celebration? If the world knew about this modern-day marvel city, where all religions celebrate each other’s festivals with gusto, Kolkata would undoubtedly be celebrated on the international stage! Whether it be Durga Puja, Ramadan or Christmas, and everything in between, we are a place where all faiths coexist harmoniously. Something that fills me with happiness year after year, about living in this great, great city and something that every Calcuttan should be incredibly proud of.
One of the highlights of Durga Puja for me has to be our almost annual Dashami trip on the river to watch the bhashan. Watching the immersion of the idol into the river, close to the banks of Belur Math, is filled with emotional highs and lows as Maa gets ready to leave for another year. Everyone should try to witness this at least once. If you and your family and friends can find yourself a boat for the evening and reach Belur around 30 minutes before the bhashan starts, you’re in for a spectacle. The thousands of faces on the river bank, the drama, smoke, bells and whistles will be well worth the trouble and undoubtedly become a cherished memory of your Puja celebrations, too.
Enjoy the recipe below, and Happy Puja!
A trifle Bengal!
A trifle is one of my go-to dishes wherever I’m travelling in the world. I can go to a local market and pretty much find all the ingredients I need to come up with something spectacular. This has all the elements a trifle should have – sponge, fresh fruit, some sort of custard and, of course, fresh cream but here I’ve given it a Bengali twist.
It’s purely about assembling it together so let's start with placing a piece of shop-bought sponge on the centre of your plate, roughly 3 inches long, 1 inch wide and 1 inch tall. Top it with some pearls of Angoori Rasmalai, 1” diced mango chunks and a quenelle of whipped cream whisked with an equal quantity of mishti doi. I did make a little caramel garnish for mine with a few fennel seeds, just because I had it. And for a delightful burst of flavour, drizzle a bit of Limoncello over the sponge, if you can. Creamy and lemony just work so well together.
