Blog of Kinjal Bose

Jagaddhatri Mandir, Kolkata

When we speak of Jagaddhatri Puja, the first thing that comes to our mind is Chandannnagar in Hooghly district of West Bengal where the puja is held for five days just like the Durga Puja. Then comes Krishnanagar where it is a single day festival – held in the Nabami tithi. Apart from Chandannagar, Mankundu and Bhadrewsar are also famous. In Kolkata, mostly the puja is held for a single day just like Krishnanagar.

Kali Pujas of Kolkata

After Durga puja, comes Kali puja which is celebrated all over the state of West Bengal. Likewise in Kolkata, it is celebrated with great pomp and splendour not only in the barowari puja pandals of the city; but also in some families of Kolkata, where the puja is being celebrated for more than hundred years. The tradition, splendour and aristocracy still remains. This year I have covered some families of north and central Kolkata where Goddess Kali is being worshipped. Here some pictures may have been taken much earlier. Like Durga Puja, this puja also attracts a huge number of spectators specially at night as Goddess Kali or Shyama is worshipped at night and, the households are decorated with light as this puja is the festival of light.

Anandamoyee Kali Mandir, Cossipore

There are a number of temples in Cossipore-Baranagar area. Cossipore being the first ward of Kolkata Municipal Corporation has a number of temples dedicated to Goddess Kali, Lord Shiva and Krishna. A Kali temple on Ratan Babu Road which is pretty old houses Maa Anadamoyee.

Durga Puja of ‘bonedi’ families of Chinsurah

In my previous blog the day before yesterday, I tried to cover the bonedi families of Chandannagar where Durga Puja is still being celebrated with great pomp and splendour. Chinsurah, the next station after Chandannagar is my today’s subject. Chinsurah was formerly a Dutch colony. Now Chinsurah or Chuchura is the headquarters of Hooghly district of West Bengal. There are a number of bonedi families in this town who are still worshipping Maa Durga maintaining the age-old tradition. In this blog I shall include five such families all of which were being covered by me on Nabami this year.

Durga Puja of ‘bonedi’ families of Chandannagar

Durga Puja is the greatest festival of the Bengalees. It is not only celebrated in the barowari puja pandals; but it is equally celebrated in many households of West Bengal. In my previous blogs I tried to cover the bonedi families of Kolkata and Howrah; though still a number of families left, which I hope to cover in the coming years. Chandannagar, a former French colony, just 35 kilometres from Kolkata, is famous for barowari Jagaddhatri Puja and lighting. But there are a number of bonedi families in this town who are celebrating Durga Puja with great pomp and splendour for many years. In this blog I tried to cover eight such families.

Durga Puja of Kolkata’s ‘bonedi’ families (Part – II)

Durga Puja is the greatest festival of the Bengalees. It is celebrated both in India and abroad where there is the presence of Bengali community. In Kolkata there are a number of families who are celebrating the festival for a long time without any break. Some of the families are continuing the pujas for more than two centuries without any break. In 2017, in my blog Durga Puja of Kolkata’s ‘Bonedi’ Families I have included 38 families of the city, and, in a single year. But there are still a number of families where Durga Puja is being celebrated with equal pomp and splendour. In this blog I have included eight families of Central Kolkata; though I would like to mention that there are still a number of families left, which I hope to cover in the next year.

Durga Puja of ‘bonedi’ families of Chetla

Chetla (now a place in South Kolkata) was once a very crowded business area as it was by the side of Adi Ganga, which was the main waterway of the Ganges. The area started populating after 1770. A number of bonedi families like Najir Bari (1861), Addya Bari (1830), Shyam Bose (1840) came to this place and started living here. Gradually they started Durga Puja in their thakurdalan. Some of the families are still continuing the age-old tradition. I along with Shri Subrata Kumar Brahma, a resident of Chetla visited four such pujas this evening.

Durga Puja of Haldarbari of Baghbazar

Durga Puja is the biggest festival of the Bengalees and is celebrated in almost every corner of the globe where there is presence of Bengali community. This five-day festival is not only celebrated in the barowari pujas of the city of Kolkata; but it is equally worshipped in many households – from north to south. Some of the pujas of the bonedi families of Kolkata are very old and are meticulously performed with all rituals till date.

Keshaveshwar Shiv Mandir, Mandirbazar

There are a number of temples situated in South 24 Parganas district of which Keshaveshwar Shiv Mandir of Mandirbazar in Diamond Harbour subdivision deserves special mention. This 60 feet south-facing very large aatchala (eight rooofed) temple with porch is situated in Ramnathpur village by the side of the main road about five hundred metres south from Mandirbazar crossing.

Rajrajeshwar Temple, North Chandannagar

Chandannagar, the 13th station from Howrah can be reached in less than an hour by train. It was a former French colony and can be reached by road and rail. The city has a number of heritage buildings and, therefore, has a rich history to offer. This city has a number of temples of which Rajrajeshwar Temple of North Chandannagar deserves special mention as far as intricate terracotta works are concerned. It is possibly the only surviving terracotta temple of Chandannagar.