Durga puja
Celebrating Bijoya with celebrities: A peek into puja festivities
This Bijoya, as the last day of the puja season dawns, let's take a closer look at how our favourite stars are soaking up the joy and warmth of the festivities.
Durga Puja in Dhaka: A glimpse into splendid puja mandaps
It's that time of the year when Dhaka comes alive with vibrant colours and the infectious energy of Durga Puja. As always, the festival takes on a vibrant and enchanting form with beautifully decorated puja mandaps gracing the cityscape. So, let us present you with a glimpse into Dhaka's 5 most splendid Durga Puja mandaps, where tradition, art, and devotion converge to create a dazzling spectacle.
Tales of the Dhakeshwari temple: Mysteries, legends, and a city
The legend of unearthing the idol is traditionally ascribed to Ballal Sen, but it is doubtful whether this story talks of the renowned 12th-century king, Ballal Sen.
Durga Puja sales exceed expectations
Shopping centres, fashion houses and other retail outlets in Dhaka found a reason to smile on the occasion of Durga Puja, the biggest annual festival for the Hindu community which begins today, with traders saying sales had exceeded expectations.
11 years of Bappy Chowdhury
This October also marks a special milestone for Bappy - 11 years in the film industry. His cinematic journey began with the movie "Bhalobashar Rong", where he shared the screen with Mahiya Mahi. Since that debut, Bappy has graced the silver screen consistently. The actor is currently taking a well-deserved break during the Puja holidays, cherishing the free time.
Reinventing the pujo feast
Everyone talks about food during pujo. More often than not, khichuri, polao, ilish, chingri and mangsho tends to land leading roles in these discussions with luchi, and cholar dal playing solid supporting roles. And of course, beyond all this there are sweets. Artful, creative, delicate, yet honest to god mishti. Sandesh, kamolabhog, chandrapuli, narkel naru… the list can go on.
#Perspective / A Dhakaite's Durga Puja diary
It all starts with Kathamo Puja or Khuti Puja, a customary ritual to celebrate the day when the idol artisan starts off the sculpting process. It formally initiates the festivities as well as the preparation for the 5-day carnival.
Delicious flavours from o par Bangla
This Durga Puja, I collaborated with Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee from across the border to share some of her family favourites. Joyadrita grew up enjoying the culture of both East Bengal and West Bengal as her maternal side is from Bangladesh and her paternal side is from India.
My Dhaka / Autumn in the city: The romance of kashful
The season of Durga Puja is upon us. Within weeks, the Hindu community of Bangladesh will be celebrating their biggest religious festival. For me, white kans grass or kashful ushers the homecoming of Goddess Durga and her colourful entourage.
Firms get nod to export 3,950 tonnes hilsa to India
The government has allowed 79 traders to export a total of 3,950 tonnes of hilsa fish to India.
Educational institutions need to be more considerate of all religious festivities
Sufficient time must be given to these students to ensure that they aren’t prevented from practicing their faiths.
Old sins cast long shadows: A vivisection of communal harmony as Puja ends
We can’t just wish things away, we can’t disown parts of our culture and country because they don’t fit our particular ideal. That is a cop-out, an easy way out, that is claiming we are pristine, and the dirt lives elsewhere, claiming we are saints and that is not our sin.
Religious Festivals and Holiday Blues
Sadly, not all religious festivals are accommodated with breathing space.
Durga Puja ends with immersion of idols
The five-day Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindus, ended yesterday with the immersion of the idols of goddess Durga and her children amid festivity.
Durga Puja bhoj for readers
The celebration is incomplete without spending time with loved ones, good food and a pile of books and magazines waiting to be read.
Books to read this Durga Puja
In The Footsteps Of Rama attempts to retrace the fabled journey of Rama, travelling from Ayodhya to the Dandakaranya forest and Panchavati (near Nashik) and on to Kishkindhya (close to Hampi), Rameshwaram and Sri Lanka.
Easy to make Bengali recipes
Food holds a special place in Bengali culture. While we do have our grand dishes, it is the simpler dishes that really steal the show. Not everyone has mastered Bengali cuisine, be it for lack of interest or practice or complexity. And so, the following recipes are just some of the popular dishes that are not only easy to make but also easy on the stomach. Try them out; they will most certainly not disappoint.
A shadow of fear looms over Puja festivities this year
Hindus around the country are gripped with the fear of being the victims of communal violence.
Durga Puja shopping essentials
Durga Puja is a time to celebrate, indulge in festivities, and spend time with family and friends. The five-day celebration calls for traditional and delicious food, new dresses and saris and much more. Before the celebrations begin, there is a lot of shopping to be done to prepare the household for the coming days and to indulge in the Puja spirit. Here are some shopping essentials to add to the shopping list.
