Navratri has started and in a few days Durga Pooja will begin. But, whatever be the festival, the city celebrates it with equal vigour and enthusiasm.
Navratri has started and in a few days Durga Pooja will begin. But, whatever be the festival, the city celebrates it with equal vigour and enthusiasm.
The Bengali community celebrates Durga Puja by placing idols of the Goddess at six different locations in the city. Devotees in the city gather at Vastrapur, Cantonment, Sola Road, Chandkheda, Sabarmati Railway Colony and Maninagar to celebrate the home-coming of Goddess Durga.
"Every year, we receive 15,000 to 20,000 visitors per venue. The best part is that people from all states celebrate it", said KD Adhikari, general secretary, Bengal Cultural Association.
Idol making is in full swing. Some of the idols are ready while others are getting final touches. "Every year the idol makers from Kolkata are invited to the city and they come all the way to prepare the idols", added Adhikari.
Joydeep Ghosh, a regular at Durgotsav at Vastrapur said, "Just like Diwali, there is house cleaning before Durgotsav. Every year we go to Vastrapur Lake for Durgotsav and eat at there. It serves typical Bengali Khichdi and a mixed-vegetable dish."
In addition, during Durgotsav we get to see outstanding performances by local talent groups, individuals and cultural teams from Kolkata. There were times when rock bands like Bhoomi and Chandrabindu performed at the Durgotsav venue."
Preparations of sweets and making of huge idols are a common sight in the city. Starting from panchami of the Navratri and signifying victory, Durga Pooja is celebrated for six days (October 12 to 17).
The idol is an image of the Goddess Durga which symbolises the end of the evil and victory of the good.
People rejoice by gifting each other and feasting on delicacies. Apart from this, a mythological significance of Durga Pooja is the celebration of the victory of the Goddess over Mahishasura.
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