(Top) A traditional Durga idol rides a bullock cart on her way to an ‘aatchala mandap’ on Panchami morning from amid fields of white ‘kaash phool’, in Nadia district and (above) crowds mill around Santosh Mitra Square pandal themed as ‘Sphere of Las Vegas’ in Sealdah
Ramit Sarkar and Satyajit Shaw
(Top) Actress Mandakini inaugurated a photography exhibition on Durga images by artist Anupam Haldar at Academy of Fine Arts on Tuesday evening and (above) ‘dhakis’ arrived from villages to Sealdah station on Sasthi morning on October 9 and solicited puja committee members by playing their best beats
My Kolkata and Suvendu Das
Kumari Puja being performed at Belur Math on Friday. This ritual was also held in other centres of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. A young girl, typically under the age of 10, is worshipped to honour the divine strength of the goddess embodied in every girl and (right) Baghbazar Sarbojonin’s Durga Puja celebrations featured the age-old traditional Bengali martial art known as ‘Lathi Khela’. This year, it was once again held on Ashtami, with two women showcasing the art form, representing strength, power and self-defence skills
Ashim Paul and Satyajit Shaw
(Top) In Baruipur on the southern fringes of Kolkata, a ‘Neelkontho’ or Indian Roller was set free at Sada Vrat Ghat (above) during immersion of the Roy Chowdhury Durga Puja idol family. It is considered auspicious to see one of that species on Bijoya Dashami since it symbolises the triumph of good over evil
Pintu Mondal
