kinjalbose

Durga Puja of Chakdighi Baganbati

Durga Puja is being celebrated in many bonedi households of West Bengal for centuries. Last year (2023) I paid a visit to Chakdighi Baganbati after visiting the Dasghara. Dasghara is in Dhaniakhali block of Hooghly district while Chakdighi located roughly a little more than seven kilometres from Dasghara is in Jamalpur block of Purba Barddhaman district.

Durga Puja of Chaudhuri Bari, Amadpur

Durga Puja is celebrated both in barowari puja pandals and in bonedi households of West Bengal. There are many pujas which are pretty old and are being celebrated till now with pomp and splendour following the rituals. One such household is Chaudhuri Bari of Amadpur in Memari in Purba Barddhaman district.

Beltala Ghosh Thakurbari

Janmastami is a festival normally held in the Bengali month of Bhadra (August – September) every year after Jhulanyatra. It is celebrated in many households, temples and even in thakurbaris in and outside Kolkata. One of them is Beltala Ghosh Thakurbari situated at 12, Naresh Mitra Sarani (previously Beltola Road), Kolkata – 26.

Gangeshwar Temple, Baranagar, Murshidabad

Baranagar in Lalbag subdivision of Murshidabad district of West Bengal houses a number of temples – some with exquisite terracotta works of which Gangeshwar Temple of jor bangla type deserves special mention.

Jor Bangla Temple, Itanda

The district of Birbhum has a number of temples of varying shapes and sizes of which brick-built temple of Jor Bangla type dedicated to Goddess Kali at Itanda deserves special mention. It is possibly the only jor bangla temple of the district.

Anandamoyee Kali

Calcutta (now Kolkata) has a number of Kali Temples some of which are more than a few centuries old. The temples are located in different parts of the city. One such temple located at 160/2, Ramdulal Sarkar Street deserves special mention as the idol of the goddess Kali is unique. The temple is more than three centuries old.

Rash Festival of Mitra Bari, Beleghata

Rashyatra, a three-day festival is held in many households and temples both in and outside Kolkata. It is held in Kartick purnima normally in the month of November. But there is another rashyatra or rash festival popularly known as Chaitra Rash or Baldev’s Rashyatra which is very rare in Kolkata. One such place where it is held in a grand way is Mitra Bari of 143, 146 (main residence of Raja Pitambar Mitra) & 147 Raja Rajendralal Mitra Road, Beleghata, Kolkata – 700010, a Grade – I heritage under Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

Ram Sita Temple, Serampore

Serampore, a subdivisional town of Hooghly district houses a number of temples of which the west-facing dalan-shaped Ram Sita Temple deserves mention. Located in Ram Sita Lane roughly about two kilometres from Serampore railway station, the place can be reached both by road and rail.

St. Olav’s Church, Serampore

Serampore, now a sub-divisional town, located about 20 kilometers from Kolkata was formally a Danish settlement from 1755 to 1845. This 90 year Danish rule in Fredericksnagore or Serampore had a number of glorious achievements of which the construction of St. Olav’s Church under the Governorship of Col. Ole Bie (1776-1805) deserves mention. Ole Bie’s twenty nine years as Governor was the longest sitting head of Serampore’s Danish Government. The Denmark Tavern (1786) was also opened during Bie’s Governorship. The Tavern, though set up at Serampore was surprisingly not opened by any Danish but by a British innkeeper named James Patt, who had prior experience at The London Tavern.

Palpara Temple, Nadia

Palpara in Kalyani subdivision of Nadia district houses a spectacular charchala brick-built temple which is currently under Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Kolkata Circle.