Happiness = Durga Puja In Kolkata. Here Are 14 Reasons Why.

20% religion + 20% friends + 20% food + magic = Durga Puja.
You can personalize your own ratio.

From flowers to clay idols and from dhunuchi naach to the sound of dhaak – Durga Puja has always been a larger than life affair. It’s that time of the year when the city is decorated like no less than a bride and everyone is waiting for Maa to arrive.

Nothing, just nothing, can deter a Bong from feeling excited. So, here are 14 reasons why the definition of happiness in Kolkata is Durga Puja.

..because it’s breathtaking. You need to come to Kolkata to believe it.

1. Maa Durga is awesome

The different styles of Maa Durga are beautiful, brilliant and what not.

This.

..and then the gorgeous ‘Daker Saaj’

 

2. Fasting…Not for the whole day, but only till ‘pushpanjali’

While, others celebrate Navaratri by fasting every day, Bengalis have the time of their lives during those five days. Egg rolls, Fish curry, Mutton Kasha…the list goes on.

 

3. And probably, one of the best things is the ‘Bhog’ that’s served

Khichudi, sabzi, luchi, laabda, roshogolla. Yumm…because Pujo is incomplete without food.

 

4. The maddening beats of the dhaak ring in your ears

..Gavin Harrison will fail in front of the ‘psychedelic’ sound of the dhaak.

 

5. The queue to enter the puja pandal with the footfalls measuring in lakhs

Yes. Not kidding. But, pandal hopping is more of a get-together.

 

6. A heavenly time for lovers

Both literal lovers and lovers of art, food or beauty.

 

7. Entering the pandals, spotting the idol and repeating the three magical words

Ki shundor hoyeche. (It’s so beautiful.)

 

8. Buying new clothes during ‘Pujo marketing’ and then wearing them

…irrespective of how ‘miserly’ one is for the rest of the year.

 

9. The goosebump-inducing effect of the traditional mantras

Be it the emotion-choked voice of Birendra Krishna Bhadra during Mahalaya to the beats of the Dhak.

 

10. Michael Jackson, who? Hip-hop, what? See my ‘dhunuchi naach’.

Be they scientists or artists, eight or eighty, from Mumbai or London. But, please don’t try this at home.

 

11. The silent prayers at the pandals with eyes occasionally darting towards a thing of beauty

…attracts our attention the moment we enter a puja pandal.

 

12. Stumbling upon some known faces(relatives/ex-boyfriend) and giving them a sweet, awkward smile

Because, people from far and beyond come together to pandal-hop.

 

13. A true Kolkatan never misses Durga Puja

No matter in which part of the world he/she is, you will find them at Kolkata during the five days.

 

14. Tears streaming down the cheeks after seeing Maa Durga take the final plunge into the Ganga

…to the shouts of Asche Bochor Abar Hobe. (It will again happen next year.)

One of the major reasons why Calcutta is nicknamed the ‘City of Joy’.

Maa aschey. Tumio esho. 🙂

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