Tag: Pandal

Pujor Khichudi 2020

Durga Pujo. The quintessential Bengali annual gala. Months of prep leading to the epic finale- the 4 (now 7) days of endless pandal hopping, sumptuous breakfast, lunch, dinner spreads, and late-night snacking. Unlimited Adda, getting stuck in the never-ending traffic at 3 am, long queues to the pandal, and the ultimate pushing and pulling to … Continue reading Pujor Khichudi 2020 →

Durga Puja- A Bengali’s Organized Mess

It’s Panchami and I am fretting around trying to figure out how to fit in those extra plans into my already packed schedule. Yes, it’s the Pujas in Kolkata and the next few days are going to be a hurricane. Three night outs, four day trips, two evening Addas, the Ashtami Anjali and Bhog- I … Continue reading Durga Puja- A Bengali’s Organized Mess →

The Great Divide- Saraswati Puja and Valentine’s Day

It is a war…it really is, as the ‘lal-pere basanti saree’ takes head on with red roses, red teddies and red ‘everythings’ at this time of the year. Especially so in typical Bengali households. Yes, it the great Saraswati Pujo/Valentine’s Day divide. Who can deny the charm of those stealing glances, coy smiles and impromptu … Continue reading The Great Divide- Saraswati Puja and Valentine’s Day →

Pujo Parikrama – Kolkata (North)

God always shows us the way. But it’s finding the way to Her, where we get stuck. Or so I realized during my attempts to visit the pandals in the northern fringes of the city. In today’s era, when our mental compass is mostly guided by the blue arrow in Google Maps, it wasn’t a … Continue reading Pujo Parikrama – Kolkata (North) →

Pujo Diaries – Part One

Med school taught me that a fevered person is expected to have a heart rate higher than normal, tachycardia as they call it …well, that was simple to learn as I have grown up in a city that is gripped with the PUJO fever, and an escalating pulse rate, almost about weeks or months before the … Continue reading Pujo Diaries – Part One →