DURGAPUJA : The Heritage of Kolkata
An Organised Photo Tour by ASP
Mentor : Arun Saha (National Award Winning Photographer, Writer & Educator)
Overview
In essence, Durga Puja of Bengal is more than just a festival; it is a celebration of art, culture, and community that encapsulates the essence of Bengali identity and tradition in the most prolific way. Thus by virtue of being the world’s biggest public art festival, it’s included by the UNESCO in its prestigious List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in the year 2021.
Kolkata during Durga Puja is a photographer’s paradise, where the city’s vibrant energy and cultural richness come alive in a riot of colors, lights, and festivities. The five days of Durga Puja, the biggest festival in Bengal, offer endless opportunities for photographers to capture the essence of Kolkata’s soul. From the majestic pandals, intricately crafted idols of Goddess Durga, to the mesmerizing street decorations and electrifying atmosphere, every corner of Kolkata transforms into a visual spectacle during this time. The streets of Kolkata, bustling with people decked in traditional attire, food stalls offering delectable treats, and cultural performances, provide an authentic glimpse into the city’s spirit. The play of light and shadow, the kaleidoscope of colors, and the palpable excitement make Durga Puja in Kolkata a unique and unforgettable experience for both photographers and spectators alike. In every frame, Kolkata’s rich heritage, religious fervor, and artistic prowess shine through, making Durga Puja a cherished subject for photographers seeking to capture the essence of this culturally significant festival. Durga Puja is not just a religious event but also a cultural extravaganza, featuring music, dance, drama, and culinary delights. Traditional rituals like dhunuchi naach (dance with earthen pots filled with burning coconut husks) and sindoor khela (playing with vermilion) add to the festive fervor.
Durga Puja in the countryside of Bengal carries a unique essence that is deeply rooted in tradition, community, and spirituality. Unlike the bustling urban celebrations, the countryside offers a more intimate and rustic experience, where the festival is celebrated with a deep sense of reverence and simplicity.
TOUR SYNOPSYS:
PORTRAIT, LANDSCAPE, PEOPLE, FESTIVAL, CULTURE, HERITAGE, STREET & HUMANITY
ITINERARY : (07 Days and 6 Nights)
04 Oct 2024: Arrival at Kolkata by noon and report at pre-booked hotel. Spending some relaxed hour in the hotel, we will go out to a nearby cafe and have the introduction session over a cup of hot coffee. Later we will go around with our camera in the street to have the first glimpse of the life of Kolkata through our lens. Later will come back to hotel, have dinner and rest.
05 Oct 2024: In the morning we will visit the famous Kumortuli area where we will have the opportunity to shoot the final touch of the idol making by the local artisans. We can even get a chance to shoot the lifting of the idols to delivery vehicle while sending those to distant places. We will then come to the Kumortuli Ghat adjacent to the river Ganges where we will shoot activities by local people along with the beautiful graffities. We will have a local model to pose for us in different places in different way to portray the Bengali culture to her best, sometimes with hand rickshaw, sometimes with Tram, with Graffiti, with idol face and so on. In-between we will have our lunch with some delicious Bengali cuisines and sweets. We will end up our day shooting in the busy and cozy areas of Kolkata. In late in the evening, you are free to roam around to enjoy the festive moods hopping around the nearby Durga Pandels.
06 Oct 2024: Today we will leave well early in the morning to have a glimpse of the countryside. We will visit Shantipur which is famous for the color dying of threads which makes a real treat for our lenses for sure. We will even try to cover the Durgapuja in the village atmosphere for a unique traditional and spiritual fervor. By late in the evening, we will get back to our hotel.
07 Oct 2024: Today, late in the morning we will drive down to Purulia, a countryside village famous for its mask making industry and a unique raw, rural and authentic atmosphere to showcase traditional Durgapuja at its best. In the afternoon and early evening, we will shoot village kids with mask of Durga at their rustic backyard and rural mud house to host house hold Durgapuja. We will stay overnight in a hotel nearby.
08 Oct 2004: In the morning after breakfast, will shoot the unique way of the homecoming of Devi Durga idol on the bullock cart by the village people. Shooting the different aspects of rural Durgapuja there, we will leave Purulia to drive back to Kolkata. In the evening, we will explore the urban way of Durgapuja in city Kolkata.
09 Oct 2024: Today, since morning to evening we will enjoy Durgapuja in different interesting parts of Kolkata city, especially in the Elite House Durgapuja(Banedi Bari Durgapuja) where Durgapuja is celebrated in a very urban homely style that includes Dhak, Dhunuchi Dance by male, female and elderly members of the families and so on. Thus we will conclude our most memorable way to explore the “KOLKATA DURGAPUJA” to catch the best possible flavour of this worldwide renowned cultural extravaganza.
10 Oct 2024: In the morning after breakfast, we will depart for the airport to our flight for Tuticorin(to explore Kulasai Dasara)/other places for our onward journey.
