An artist gives finishing touches to an idol of Goddess Durga ahead of the Durga Puja festival at Kumartuli in Kolkata, September 11, 2022.
Workers carry the face of a clay model of Goddess Durga at a workshop to prepare idols ahead of the Durga Puja festival in Nadia district, August 26, 2022.
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Unesco on Wednesday accorded heritage status to Kolkata's Durga puja festival, bringing glory to the country, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lauding the move.
Kangana Ranaut visited the Shri Durgaparameshwari emple in Kateel and the Shri Hale Mariamma temple in Kapu.
'It is time again for Durga Puja.' 'Time again to be struck by India's astonishing cultural irony, one where the female form is worshipped as divinity while millions of real women are forced to lead restricted lives,' notes Shuma Raha.
Breaking centuries-old custom, for the first time in the history of Durga Puja in West Bengal, women priests Nandini Bhowmik, Ruma Roy, Seymanti Banerjee and Poulami Chakraborty performed rituals on the occasion of Maha Sasthi, October 11, 2021.
'The idea was to not give any morality lessons.'
The Indian Army's Durga Battalion rescued a man stranded in the Betar river in Poonch on Sunday, July 17, 2022.
A Durga idol in Kolkata in which the 'Mahishasur' was replaced by a crudely-crafted Mahatma Gandhi lookalike created a controversy on the birth anniversary of the father of the nation.
The incident happened at a crowded pandal in the Raja Dal locality of the town, Superintendent of Police Swarna Prabhat said.
A community Durga Puja pandal based on the theme of 'Fight Against Coronavirus' at Raiganj in North Dinajpur district, West Bengal.
Ahead of the upcoming Durga Puja festival, Bangladesh authorities have assured of increased security measures that have been put in place amid concerns of violence targeting minority Hindu communities.
While the Prime Minister did not spell out the details of the three instances, his remarks are being widely interpreted as a reference to the 2016 surgical strikes following the Uri terror attack, the 2019 Balakot air strikes after the Pulwama bombing, and the recent cross-border strikes as part of 'Operation Sindoor'.
Forum for Durgotsab, an umbrella organisation of 550 community Durga Pujas in Kolkata and neighbouring areas, also published guidelines to ensure that the festivities are held following COVID-safety protocols.
As the country prepares to celebrate Durga Puja from Monday, here are some colourful avatars of the deity.
After the Covid-19 pandemic that derailed the economy since 2019, the Durga Puja festival in West Bengal is back with an estimated 20-30 per cent jump in festive spending. Retail sector is the key contributor to the state's Durga Puja economy which was Rs 32,377 crore in 2019, according to a British Council study conducted for the state government. Retail accounts for 85 per cent of the total puja economy and the rest is shared among pandal making, decoration, illumination, entertainment, advertisement, food & beverage and others.
At least eight people drowned and several others went missing after they were swept away in the Mal river due to flash floods during idol immersion on Vijayadashami Jalpaiguri, a senior official said.
The Bengalis have their own special variety of spicy-sweet tomato chutney usually had at the end of a meal.
Maa Durga's devotees hold one or more dhunuchis in their hands -- and even in their mouths -as they dance to the dhaak (drums) and venerate the Goddess who has come to visit them.
'It is in the form of the nava shaktis that Durga or Adi Shakti lives inside everyone.'
Seeing Durgamasura ready for a war, the goddess appeared in her warrior form. Let's celebrate the beginning of Navratri with this lovely excerpt from Nava Durga.
Social media is a treat these days, as film folk dress up in traditional outfits and add glamour to the festive season.
Banerjee said she will protect the minority people and their property.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is Trinamool Congress's Bhabanipur bypoll candidate, of violating the model code of conduct (MCC) by participating in a programme where the West Bengal government announced a grant of Rs 50,000 to each Durga puja organising committee ahead of the state's biggest festival.
Famous clay modeller Mintu Pal is sculpting the fibreglass idol at his Kumartuli studio draping the 'deity' in the Trinamool Congress supremo's favourite white coloured tant saree and her trademark flip-flop slippers to boot.
'I want to take Durga Maa's blessings and achieve a lot more'
Ma Durga might be the city's most celebrated annual visitor, but Kali is the resident Goddess, notes Sandip Roy.
Rajbaris are a link to Bengal's rich past, of grand mansions, classical fine dining, and allow guests to be pretend zamindars for those few hours or days that they stay.
Former King Gyanendra Shah was on Saturday issued a letter demanding fine by Kathmandu's civic body following the damage caused to public property and environment during the pro-monarchy protests in parts of the Nepalese capital a day before.
...the DMK chief minister's campaign -- which includes criticism of the BJP's 'pro-Hindutva, anti-Tamil, anti-federal' policies and building on his own government's social welfare programmes targeting especially women and youth -- appeals to Tamil Nadu's voters in next year's assembly election, explains N Sathiya Moorthy.
Hindu temples in Bangladesh have been vandalised by some unidentified miscreants during Durga Puja celebrations, prompting the government to deploy paramilitary force in 22 districts after three people were killed and many others injured in riots, media reports said.
'This year, it may be pertinent to look at some of the myths that invoke her warrior form, where she manifests herself as Shakti, the underlying strength in all humanity,' says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
The MEA has taken strong exception to the two reported incidents in Bangladesh.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has announced the formation of a special CoBRA battalion for counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. This decision comes 17 years after the jungle warfare unit was established to combat Naxal insurgency. The new battalion, directed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, will be deployed in forested areas of Jammu and Kashmir, including the Jammu region, where recent terrorist incidents have occurred. CoBRA units are known for their specialized jungle warfare and guerilla tactics training, and the new battalion will be equipped with modern weaponry, communication, and surveillance equipment.
Tarun Vijay visits 20 Durga Puja pandals in five towns in Bangladesh and comes back impressed.
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