Kolkata, or Calcutta in India, explodes with joy during the Durga puja festivities. Incredible number of people visit the city and the West Bengal state bursts into a frenzy.

This series will try capturing the main activities that build the entire five-day event. I will try introducing you to the pujas and how it all begins, the succeeding parts will examine how they evolve slowly until it reaches the finale on the fifth day.

Undoubtedly, you will be awestruck at this spectacular event.

Click the play buttons below for the three videos to get completely enchanted

Off, we go …

Saptami evening celebrations unfolds

Ashtami Aarti at its best, you will too start to animate with its power

Inference

• You will come to know the various stages of this age old iconic festivities
• You can view the actual dance performance on the Saptami and Ashtami days of the Durga pujas
• Feel the flow of the video rollover you as you see the vast array of food, and cuisines that these 5 day bring to the table
• Get a glimpse of “Aarti”, where the worshippers offer flowers to the hymns and chants. Young and old dance to the drums or “dhak” as popularly known
• You can feel the ride on a rickshaw, the age old two wheeled carriage driven by human power
• You can see the beautifully decorated idols, “pandals” or the scaffoldings with intricate carvings