Durga Puja Carnival | |
---|---|
Status | Active |
Genre | Cultural Festival |
Frequency | Annual |
Location(s) | Indira Gandhi Sarani, Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
Years active | 2016–present [1] |
Participants | Durga Puja Committees, cultural performers |
Attendance | Hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists |
The Durga Puja Carnival also known as Kolkata Carnival, held annually, is an extension of the Durga Puja festivities in Kolkata, West Bengal. [2] It celebrates the cultural heritage of the city, bringing together diverse communities through processions, performances, and thematic events. Initiated by the West Bengal Government, it has evolved as a large public event showcasing art, music, dance, and traditional Bengali culture. [3]
The Kolkata Carnival started in 2017 as a post-Durga Puja procession to showcase the artistic creations and cultural diversity of the city. It was an initiative of the West Bengal Government to turn Kolkata's renowned Durga Puja into a larger cultural extravaganza.[ better source needed ] [4] The event features decorated tableaux from the city's Durga Puja pandals, accompanied by cultural performances, floats, and musical events. It symbolizes the essence of the Bengali community's love for art, inclusivity, and celebrations. [5] [6]
The Carnival is a visual spectacle, with floats from various Durga Puja committees parading through the streets. Artists, musicians, and dancers perform during the procession, depicting the cultural vibrancy of West Bengal. Some key activities include:
Each year, the Carnival grows in scale, with hundreds of thousands attending to enjoy the cultural performances and revelry. [11]
The Kolkata Carnival serves as a platform to celebrate the spirit of Durga Puja, which was inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2021. [12] It extends the festivities of Durga Puja, highlighting the communal harmony, creativity, and inclusivity that the festival stands for. The event also brings in significant economic benefits, boosting local businesses, tourism, and the city's economy during the festive season.[ citation needed ]
The West Bengal Government has played a crucial role in organizing the event, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee actively promoting it as a global cultural event. [13] Financial incentives are given to Puja committees for participation, and the event is heavily promoted as part of the state's tourism drive. [14] [15]
Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Shaaradotsava, is an annual festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga, and is also celebrated because of Durga's victory over Mahishasura. It is particularly celebrated in the Indian state of West Bengal,Odisha,Tripura, Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Assam and by Hindus in Bangladesh. The festival is observed in the Indian calendar in the month of Ashvin, which corresponds to September–October in the Gregorian calendar. Durga Puja is a ten-day festival, of which the last five are of the most significance. The puja is performed in homes and public, the latter featuring a temporary stage and structural decorations. The festival is also marked by scripture recitations, performance arts, revelry, gift-giving, family visits, feasting, and public processions called a melā. Durga Puja is an important festival in the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism. Durga Puja in Kolkata has been inscribed on the intangible cultural heritage list of UNESCO in December 2021. In Cuttack(Odisha) Many Durga Idols are Crafted from Silver. 34 Puja mandaps are decorated with silver tableaus. In Odisha the pandals feature stunning decorations, showcasing traditional and contemporary themes that attract thousands of visitors. Durga Puja which is celebrated as Gosani Yatra in Puri. In this festival of Puri, several big clay idols of Mahisamardini Durga are worshipped every year in the month of Asvina (October).
Dhakeshwari National Temple is a Hindu temple in Old Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is state-owned, giving it the distinction of being Bangladesh's 'National Temple'. The name "Dhakeshwari" means "Goddess of Dhaka". Bangladesh is the only country in the World to have a National Hindu Temple. It's one of the holiest Shakta pithas where the gem of Devi sati's crown fell but the gem is lost long ago and the main ancient Vigraha or stone murti is relocated to Kumortuli West Bengal during the partition time by the chief priest due to increased attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh.
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Kolkata has many festivals throughout the year. The largest and most magnificently celebrated festival of the city is Durga Puja, and it features colourful pandals, decorative idols of Hindu goddess Durga and her family, lighting decorations and fireworks. Other major festivals are Diwali, Kali Puja, Holi, Saraswati Puja, Poush Parbon, Poila Boishakh, Christmas, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, etc.
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The 'Durga Puja Carnival' is annually held since 2016.