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Special Feature!

Kumartuli—The Workshop Of The God Makers In Kolkata! And Durga Puja!

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Kumartuli or Kumortuli is located in the northern part of the city of Kolkata . The locality is a traditional habitat of the potters for nearly three hundred years. The potters or the artisans or the artists settled here during the restructuring of the Kolkata colonial region by the British East India Company . Earning a livelihood by making earthen pots and utensils first they gradually shifted to the making of the idols of Gods and Goddesses for various festivals round the year.  With increasing demand and quality of their creations over time the artisans became famous and Kumartuli came to be known as the hub of idol makers supplying thousands of idols, particularly of Goddess Durga , to whole of the state of West Bengal and to NRIs of around 90 countries across the globe. At least three months before Durga Puja , the biggest festival of West Bengal and one of the biggest across Eastern India, more than five hundred workshops come alive with hyper activity day and night. Fir...
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Happy Magh or Bhogali Bihu !

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The harvest festival of Assam starts today, the 14th of January, 2019. Tonight, called Uruka , community feasts are being organised in temporary straw-bamboo structures and at homes plus other venues all over, irrespective of any divisions. If you need to know more about this try the following link: Happy Bhogali Bihu!
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Mumbai Dreams!

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Enjoying a rare off on Sunday today I also had the rare luxury of going for an afternoon nap. To my surprise I managed some sleep, however in fits and starts. And, I had a series of dreams mostly taking me back to my native land Assam which was only natural because I paid a visit there recently and maybe also because our Spring festival (start of four seasons) Bohag or Rongali Bihu has begun—today being Goru Bihu when we worship cattle and tomorrow Manuh Bihu that is our New Year day. In Mumbai we hardly get the ambiance. Anyway, one of the dreams was very interesting. I was walking out of some place in Guwahati and a man suddenly touched my shoulder from behind. I ignored it first thinking it was by mistake. But as I felt being touched again I stopped and the man came around blocking my way. He said, “You live in Mumbai, no?” “Yes, how can I help you?” “Well, I see only posh high-rise buildings there with spacious balconies. I’m planning a visit there and don’t know where to put up...
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Happy Bhogali Bihu!

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   Bhogali or Magh Bihu—the harvest festival of Assam is celebrated in mid January that is the month of Magh about to begin. Bhogali means ‘aplenty’. And it’s winter when people are more energetic. Bhogali Bihu belongs to the farmers who harvest the ripe golden paddy crops after long and hard work and have a well deserved community feast of new rice, fish, meat and other delicacies. Plus celebrations. In some villages of Assam buffalo fights are still a rage.  Magh Bihu falls normally on 13th-14th January as per the timing of Makar Sankranti . Sankranti means changing of direction. The time when the sun changes direction from one constellation (of the zodiac) to another is known as Sankranti. Transition of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn during the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere ( Uttarayana ) is known as Makar sankranti . Only this year, a leap year, B hogali Bihu is being celebrated on 14th and 15th of January, 2012. Days prior to the Bihu g...
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