Page 2 - Durga Puja

Durga puja celebrations should not be inconvenience to anyone: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said Durga Puja committees in the state must take measures to ensure that pedestrian and vehicular traffic movement are regulated well without anyone having to encounter much hassle. Inaugurating Sribhumi Sporting club puja in Lake Town area, along VIP road, the CM told her ministerial colleague Sujit Bose that she won't hesitate to act if the crowd-puller pandal inconveniences common people be it revelers or airport-borne public. "Puja committees must ensure that vehicular and pedestrian movements do not face too many obstructions or hassles," the CM said. Last year, curtains had to be drawn on Sribhumi puja on the day of Astami, as the place went choc-a-bloc for days with revelers from far and wide turning up to take a look at the Burj Khalifa-themed Durga puja marquee. "I will be monitoring the situation from home. Hence, my action will be prompt and swift. Being the minister, I am sure you will certainly see to it that ...

Calcutta HC gives govt conditional approval for grants to Puja committees

A division bench of the Calcutta High Court gave conditional approval to the West Bengal government to offer donations worth Rs 60,000 crore to 43,000 community Durga Puja committees in the state

Delhi Jal Board holds meet; to build artificial ponds for idols' immersion

Discussions were held on pragmatic ways to abate the pollution in the Yamuna that is found to increase after immersion of idols after the puja

What the UNESCO heritage tag could mean for the Durga Puja ecosystem

The crafts around the festival - from the idol-making at Kumartuli to the handicrafts that revolve around it - will get a huge boost, says the art historian

Mamata Banerjee rallies to celebrate UNESCO tag for Kolkata's Durga Puja

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday took part in a colourful rally to thank UNESCO for according the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) tag to Durga Puja. Representatives of more than 1,000 Durga Puja committees took part in the rally that began in the Jorasanko area in north Kolkata. The TMC supremo led the rally, and was accompanied by party colleagues Firhad Hakim, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Aroop Biswas and Shashi Panja which will end on Red Road. "I would like to thank UNESCO for according ICH tag to Durga Puja. From today onwards, our festivities have begun one month in advance. I welcome people from all walks of life to participate in the rally, and thank everyone watching this rally from around the world," she said, while inaugurating the rally. Before the rally, Banerjee described Durga Puja as an emotion of the Bengalis that unites people above the "parochial barriers" "Durga Puja is an emotion that rises above parochial barriers and brings us together. It .

West Bengal: Mamata hikes donation for Durga puja clubs by Rs 10k to Rs 60k

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday hiked the donation amount for each club organising Durga Puja to Rs 60,000 from last year's Rs 50,000, besides announcing a 60 per cent rebate on electricity bills. She also said that state government employees would be entitled to a 11-day leave on the occasion of Durga pujathe biggest festival in Bengal from September 30. Banerjee said her government would take out a rally on September 1 to thank UNESCO for according the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) tag to the festival. "The Centre is not releasing funds for the state. Despite that, we will increase donations for the clubs from last year's Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000. We will also provide them a rebate of 60 per cent on the electricity bill," Banerjee said. She stressed that the September 1 rally would have no political agenda, and anybody and everybody was free to join it. "I will invite 10,000 students from senior schools to be part of this rally," she said at an ...

Kolkata Durga puja bags UNESCO heritage tag; PM, CM hail move

The UNESCO on Wednesday accorded heritage status to Kolkata's Durga puja festival, bringing glory to the country, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lauding the move. "Durga puja in Kolkata has just been inscribed on the intangible heritage list. Congratulations India," the organisation said in a tweet attaching a photo of the goddess with hashtag living heritage'. Modi has hailed UNESCO's decision as a "matter of great pride and joy for every Indian". "Durga Puja highlights the best of our traditions and ethos. And, Kolkata's Durga Puja is an experience everyone must have," he said. The chief minister underlined that Durga puja was not just a festival, but an emotion. "Proud moment for Bengal! To every #Bengali across the world, Durga Puja is much more than a festival, it is an emotion that unites everyone. And now, #DurgaPuja has been added to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. We are all beaming with joy!" she

Durga Puja violence: Govt committed to saving citizens, says Bangladesh FM

While regretting the incidents of violence, the minister informed that the Sheikh Hasina government took immediate action against the perpetrators.

Bangladesh's dysfunctional secularism

The communal violence in Bangladesh has been reduced to a law and order problem, ignoring its political nature

Analysts see conspiracy against Hasina govt in violence during Durga Puja

Analysts in India are worried by the turn of events in Bangladesh where violence during Durga Puja celebrations has left four dead

B'desh Durga Puja violence: Minorities call for nationwide hunger strike

A Hindu temple has been vandalised in Bangladesh in a fresh case of communal unrest unleashed by unidentified Muslim bigots who attacked the minority community's places of worship

Festive cheer eludes Durga Puja with corp sponsorship below pre-Covid level

According to Forum for Durgotsab, an umbrella outfit representing 400 pujas and four other clubs, compared to 2020, sponsorship is up 30-40% and compared to 2019, it's down by 20-25%

Govt asks CIL to raise coal supply to power plants during Durga Puja

The development assumes significance in the wake of the country's power plants grappling with coal shortages

Security beefed up in Kolkata after terror alert during Durga Puja

The Kolkata Police has made security arrangements, including deployment of commandos to foil any terror attack during the Durga Puja festival that begins on Monday

Annual Durga puja carnival cancelled, cultural events disallowed: WB govt

The West Bengal government, for the second year in a row, has decided to cancel the annual Durga Puja carnival

Pandemic-hit Puja

There's little doubt that the glitter of Bengal's Puja faded during the Covid-era

Bengal extends Covid curbs till Oct 30; allows movement during Durga Puja

West Bengal extended the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions till October 30 but allowed movement of people and vehicles at night during the Durga Puja festival from October 10-20, according to an order

Will abide by all health protocols this Durga puja, say organisers

'Forum for Durgotsab' -- a platform for community puja organisers -- said it would abide by all health protocols and ensure that people don't crowd at marquees.

Charaiveti: An academic's journey-4

In the author's childhood, politics in the his neighbourhood was dominated by the Communist Party, and the communists were often enthusiastic participants in those religious festivals

Bengal ready to hold by-polls before Durga Puja in October, state tells EC

The pending bye-elections in seven assembly constituencies of Bengal could be held before the Durga Puja festival in October and the state administration is fully prepared to conduct it at that time