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...
It may be a quirk of nature that it had to be the same day, the 24th of April, 2011. Tearful condolences to Shri Sathya Sai Baba, a spiritual institution working from Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh, India having followers all over the world, who passed away this morning after being in hospital for over a month. Millions of devotees are paying homage tearfully--devotees from all walks of life irrespective of religious beliefs. Millions are expected to come to offer prayers to his mortal remains at his Ashram Prashanti Nilayam. His mortal remains will be kept for this purpose till Tuesday, the 26th. In this sad moment there are many questions as to who will succeed his spiritual empire covering 114 countries or who will now be the spiritual guide for millions having qualifications to match his Avatar status or what will happen to the charity institutions and his billions of rupees of properties. Hope all will be well. And, for cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar his 38th birthday today beg...