Try this Bengali dish of tender bottle gourd cooked with golden urad dal badis and a handful of spices,
Bengali cuisine is known for its delicate balance of flavours, subtle use of spices, and a deep respect for fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Bengali film actor Koyel Mallick, previously a TMC MP, has joined the BJP and is set to file her nomination for a Rajya Sabha seat, expressing her desire to contribute to West Bengal's development initiatives.
Kajol, Tanuja, Tanishaa Mukerji and Ayan Mukerji came together to unveil Maa Durga's idol at the 80th North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja, which celebrates the spirit of tradition and family.
'Ma would fiddle with the radio's knob until the static gave way to music; then, the voice would come on. I would be half-asleep still, understanding little of the Sanskrit words I heard but the words in chants, interspersed with songs, cast a spell. I still remember the goosebumps I felt as the epic tale of Goddess Durga's birth and battles unfolded,' says Radha Roy Biswas.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya's comments recalling the role of non-Bengali communities during the 1946 communal riots and alleging past restrictions on Durga Puja have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, including the TMC, Congress, and CPI(M). Bhattacharya appealed for unity for peaceful Durga Puja celebrations, while opposition leaders accused him of divisive politics and distorting history.
When golden-fried baingan, or eggplant, is coated in creamy roasted poppy seed paste and the preparation is finished with green chillies and mustard oil, you have the authentic taste of Bengal on your plate.
Bengali filmmaker Anik Dutta, celebrated for his unique blend of political and social satire in films like Bhooter Bhabishyat, has tragically died after allegedly falling from his Kolkata residence, prompting an ongoing police investigation.
'When I heard loud claps from the audience, I had goosebumps. I was told it was a standing ovation.'
'India is a large source of Spotify's future audience growth because it is the largest market in the world.'
Bangladesh Captain Litton Das celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi with his wife and daughter.
Family members and several members from the film fraternity were present at Mumbai's Pawan Hans crematorium to pay their last respects.
The Hindu Raksha Dal's planned Hanuman Chalisa recital outside a mosque in Meerut was called off after police intervened, detaining activists and stepping up security to prevent communal disharmony.
From Mithun Chakraborty and Vidya Balan to S J Suryah and Hrithik Roshan, Jailer 2 boasts an eclectic new cast. Here's a look at the fresh faces joining Rajinikanth's Tiger Muthuvel Pandian and the films you know them from.
'If the BJP becomes our political identity, our political face, if we are represented by the BJP, then what happens to our identity as Bengalis?'
Bengali actor Kharaj Mukherjee and his wife Pratibha Mukherjee were stranded in Nepal due to heavy rains and flash floods, but their son Tamaghna Mukherjee has confirmed they are safe and making their way back home.
More than three months after her midnight deportation, however, the central question remains unanswered: Where is Mumtaz Begum?
'Today, even the greatest artistes are guided by monetary impulses. For Hrishida, relationships mattered the most.'
For the first time in an Indian men's cricket match, the national song Vande Mataram was played before the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, during the India vs Afghanistan T20I in Delhi, sparking widespread reaction among fans.
Their stories will go unheard, filed somewhere in the banal footnotes of history. Unwritten, untold, undocumented, notes Binu Alex.
'I kept saying, we'll do it, but I had no clue how. Neither did my trainer. But we went in with the intention that no matter what, we will have to do this.'
A committee formed by West Bengal's BJP government is considering proposals to rename several prominent roads, bridges, and public places in Kolkata, including those named after communist leaders Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, and Ho Chi Minh. This move has sparked sharp criticism from the Trinamool Congress and CPI(M), who view it as "vendetta politics" and an attempt to disrespect differing ideologies.
Regional OTT platform STAGE is set to release India's first AI-made biopic on farmer leader Sir Chhotu Ram. The project leverages artificial intelligence for various aspects of filmmaking, from visualisation to character generation, aiming to reduce production costs and expand storytelling possibilities for underserved cultures and languages.
West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh asserted that eating non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja is not controversial, countering Bageshwar Dham head priest Dhirendra Shastri's call for vegetarianism. Ghosh highlighted Bengal's traditions, including goat sacrifice as prasad, and criticised attempts to dictate food choices or government involvement in community pujas. He also touched upon a controversy regarding an 11-handed Durga idol.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP of harassing Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states and denying Bengal its rightful dues. He also criticised the BJP for allegedly deleting names from electoral rolls and disrespecting Mahatma Gandhi.
The Supreme Court has asked the CBSE to consider deferring the implementation of its three-language policy for Class 6 students, which mandates two native Indian languages, until the academic session starting 2027. The CBSE stated it would consider the suggestion. The policy, aligned with NEP-2020, makes two native Indian languages compulsory for Class 6 and Class 9, with provisions for foreign languages as additional options and no board exams for the third language in Class 10.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses the BJP of harassing Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states and denying Bengal its rightful dues.
Popular Bengali actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee has died after drowning in the sea at Talsari beach in Odisha. The actor, known for his roles in Bengali films and television, was 43 years old.
Popular Bengali actor Rahul Arunodoy Banerjee tragically drowned during a television series shoot near Digha, prompting a police investigation.
Prasar Bharati Chairman Prasoon Joshi voiced concerns over AI's impact on India's cultural heritage, including music and endangered languages, advocating for human-AI collaboration. Meanwhile, a Spotify report revealed significant growth in royalties for Indian artists, with linguistic diversity driving economic strength in the creative industries, highlighting the platform's role in enabling talent across various Indian languages.
'I like to make films where I am also conflicted. I don't want to make films with themes that I am sure about because then it easily becomes agenda-driven.'
'It's a matter of pride for us that a man from Bengal is ruling hearts all over the world.'
Jai Jai Ram may not have the lyrical punch of A R Rahman's earlier devotional tracks, but Shreya Ghoshal and Arijit Singh's vocals give this Ramayana anthem the spiritual grandeur it needs.
On Uttam Kumar's birth centenary, actor Prosenjit Chatterjee shares intimate memories of the Bengali matinee idol, recounting how 'Uttam-jethu' not only launched his career but also profoundly influenced his father, Biswajit Chatterjee, and remained a guiding force for their family.
Blue Machines AI has launched Floe, a context-aware language detection model designed for AI agents. Floe distinguishes between code-mixing and genuine language switches in multimodal interactions, supporting over 10 Indic languages with ultra-low latency. It aims to improve enterprise AI conversations by understanding user intent in multilingual settings.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the BJP's commitment to implementing the Uniform Civil Code in West Bengal within six months of assuming power, while also promising a Bengali chief minister.
While introducing the Bigg Boss 20 contestants, host Salman Khan got candid about his breakup, his ignorance about memes and the world of social media, and was surprised to learn that ScoutOP makes Rs 30 lakh a month playing esports.
'Uttam Kumar is someone who, even after 100 years, is so relevant. He's one of the biggest icons, the biggest superstar, the Mahanayak.'
Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru to Rani Lakshmibai and Subhas Chandra Bose, their journeys began in remarkably different corners of our great homeland.
From tender romances to deeply conflicted relationships, these 10 films showcase Mammootty's softer, more vulnerable side at its most memorable.
