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Festivals – Are They More Important Than a Global Pandemic?
Life has been so different since the year 2020. And so are the extravagant festivals celebrated in India. Gone are the days when festivals in India meant a surreal experience with fanfare at a different level. I still vividly remember how the first blow to Indian festivities was when the larger-than-life Ganpati celebrations were banned in Maharashtra, followed by the ban on the most-awaited Durga Puja in West Bengal. The pandemic was clutching its grip and the only way to fight it was – SOCIAL DISTANCING. It was a great feeling to experience the country coming together as one and fighting this nasty virus. It almost felt like we have…
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A Tribute To RATHA JATRA – The World Famous Chariot Festival at Puri, Odisha
Amidst the corona virus epidemic scare this year, Ratha Jatra was like never before! With very strict restrictions and a limited number of people, the authorities allowed the basic rituals to be commenced for Ratha Jatra in 2020. The priests were masked and public attendance was completely banned, followed by some sharp criticism for even allowing this in the first place. While we witnessed the empty streets of Puri on television while the chariots were being pulled, I thought of writing a tribute to this world-famous festival of Puri, Odisha. I did my bit of research and collated whatever little I know about Ratha Jatra so far. This blog…
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RAJA PARBA – The Festival Of Odisha Celebrating Womanhood
Today, I will write about a very popular festival of Odisha – “Raja Parba”, which is going to start from this weekend. And I can’t help but hum this very popular folk-song from Odisha, commemorating RAJA PARBA, while I sit down to write. The first stanza goes something like this : ବନସ୍ତେ ଡାକିଲା ଗଜ ବରଷକେ ଥରେ ଆସିଛି ରଜ, ଆସିଛି ରଜ ଲୋ ଘେନି ନୂଆ ସଜବାଜ । Amidst the current pandemic crisis in the world, social distancing is the key. So, one of the many things that has been hit hard and taken a backseat is – the fanfare and celebrations of Indian festivals. So, I thought of writing about one of…
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The grandeur of Chhath Puja at Dhanbad
Since the ‘Garib Rath’ direct route from Bhubaneswar to Dhanbad has been cancelled now (courtesy – the Jharia CoalField fires), we had to first take a train to Kolkata and then run for our lives to board another train to Dhanbad from a different railway platform. We were almost on the verge of missing this train due to overlapping timelines of our Indian railways. Perhaps, this thrill set the mood for my journey to Dhanbad – the Coal Capital of India! Travelling for the second-time after marriage to my husband’s city, was already giving me goosebumps. Once we reached the Dhanbad railway station, we decided to take an auto-rickshaw to…
