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...
India is celebrating the 65th Independence Day today, the 15th of August, 2011. This is the Day to wish you all the very best. This is the Day to take new noble pledges or start on new socially relevant commitments. This is the Day to inspire others by examples. And, this is of course the Day to celebrate your great country's birthday. This Independence Day is significant on two counts--raging inflation and the fight against corruption. The Government of India is moving forward with commitment on both of these issues--with the Lokpal Bill (Ombudsmen Bill) against corruption already presented in Parliament. But on the other side, Anna Hazare and his civil society members are fighting the govt tooth and nail for not including crucial points in the govt version of the Bill. Anna is set to start his indefinite fast from tomorrow with conditions set by the govt. While we all want corruption to be demolished, we do not want rivalries and politicking on this issue. Nobody can be hundred p...