Blog of Kinjal Bose

Temples of Sonamukhi, Bankura

There are many terracotta temples in Bankura district especially in Bishnupur. In fact when we speak of such temples, the first name that comes to our mind is about the temples having intricate terracotta decoration built by the Malla kings of Bishnupur. But apart from Bishnupur there are other places also where we can spot beautiful temples. One such area is Sonamukhi which is a municipal town.

Durga Puja of Roychowdhury Bari, Baruipur

Durga Puja, being the greatest festival of the Bengalees is celebrated in many households of Bengal for more than a century. One such household is the Roychowdhury family of Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district. About a mile from Baruipur railway station, this puja will definitely take you back to three centuries. An old structure which has got a fresh coat of paint due to the festival will welcome you inside the courtyard where you will witness the old durga dalan.

Durga Puja of Dutta Bari, Baranagar

Durga Puja, being the greatest festival of the Bengalees is not only celebrated in puja pandals as barowari puja but it is equally celebrated in households across Bengal.

Ananda-Bhairavi Temple, Sukharia

Twenty-five pinnacled or panchavimshati-ratna temple is a classification of the ratna type of temple architecture. In West Bengal there are five such temples – three in Kalna (Purba Barddhaman), one each in Sukharia (Hooghly) and Sonamukhi (Bankura).

Nabaratna Kali Mandir, Balaram Ghosh Street, Kolkata

A nabaratna temple dedicated to Goddess Bhabatarini along with two aatchala Shiva temples of 2/2A, Balaram Ghosh Street in North Kolkata deserves mention. It is a Grade – I heritage structure as per Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s “Graded List of Heritage Buildings”.

Basanti Puja of Bally Harisabha

Durga Puja, is no doubt, the greatest festival of the Bengalees. It is held in autumn; whereas Basanti Puja is held six months later in spring. It is normally held in the Bengali month of Chaitra (April). Though not celebrated in such a grand way like the Durga Puja; but still it is worshipped in a number of places. One such place is Bally Harisabha of 207, Goswami Para Road in Howrah for more than eighty years.

Household Jagaddhatri Pujas in Chandannagar

When we speak of Jagaddhatri Puja in Chandannagar, the first thing that reminds us is that the puja is celebrated here for four days just like Durga Puja. But there are a number of families who celebrate the puja in Nabami tithi where the pujas of Saptami, Astami and Nabami are held in a single day.

Durga Puja of Serampore Goswami Bari

This year on the day of Saptami I paid a visit to Serampore to witness the Durga Puja of bonedi families. My first destination was Serampore Rajbari. Although I paid a visit earlier but this time it was a completely new experience because of Durga Puja.

Durga Puja of Garalgacha Jamidar Bari

The Durga Puja of Garalgacha Jamidar Bari located in Chanditala II block of Serampore subdivision of Hooghly district dates back to 1767. This year I visited the Jamidar Bari popularly known as Babuder Bari twice – on Sasthi and Nabami.

Household Durga Pujas in Konnagar

Konnagar, a municipality of Hooghly district houses a number of families where Durga Puja is famous and some are celebrated for centuries. On the day of Mahastami, I visited six such families and covered them in this post.