Kumartuli artisans and Durga Puja

Suchetana Ray / CNN-IBN

Kolkata: Bengal's biggest festive carnival is here. The people behind the spirit of Bengali festivity are busy in the dingy lanes of Kumartuli, a potter's hub in Kolkata

This place has been in existence for over a century. Behind the faces of these goddesses are the hands of the artisans of Kumartuli. One such artisan, Biplab Pal, a fourth generation has been giving shape to the clay idol of goddess Durga, what his ancestors have been doing for the past 75 years.

They also make the towering idols of the Goddess which is a no mean task. Pal says, “Its difficult for others to do this. I can do it as it runs in my blood.” In 2005 the Pals launched a website to book idols online, so as an overseas puja organizer you just have log on to Kumartuli.com, click on 'photo gallery' and you will be spoilt for choice.

All you need to do now is book the idol you like. Though local organizers are yet to wake up to the idea of purchasing Durga idols online, the overseas response has been overwhelming with online purchases being made from as far New Zealand.

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Overseas Durga Puja

The azure sky with fleecy white clouds and the nip in the air marks the advent of autumn – the season for Bengal’s most popular festival, Durga Puja or the worship of Goddess Durga. Durga Puja is celebrated with customary pomp and fanfare twice a year – once in the month of March or April (basant) and again in the month of September or October (ashwin), during the moonlit fortnight. On both the occasions, the puja is a nine-day affair with the last day coinciding with Ram Navmi and Dussehra respectively. The Mother Goddess is venerated in one form or the other all over India, though her popularity is at its peak with the Bengalis.

The right time for the worship of Goddess Durga being in spring, the prayers of Lord Rama are also known as akal bodhan (untimely worship). Nowadays, Ram Navmi is celebrated during spring and Durga Puja or Dussehra is celebrated during autumn.

Prevalent in Bengal is the tale of the defeat of the demon, Mahishasura at the hands of Goddess Durga, the incarnation of Shakti, or Power. This demon was almost invincible because of a boon granted by Lord Shiva (the Destroyer in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer) whereby no male could defeat him. But the gods found a novel solution to the daunting problem. The amalgamation of the might of all the gods resulted in the birth of Shakti in the form of Goddess Durga, who wielded an assortment of weapons in her 10 hands and rode a lion. Predictably enough, she was able to slay the demon, thus ending his reign of terror. Therefore, Durga is also called Mahishasuramardini (the slayer of Mahishasura). This holy battle has come to symbolise the triumph of Good over Evil.

"Ya devi sarbabhuteshshu,
sakti rupena sanksthita
Namasteshwai Namasteshwai Namasteshwai namo namaha."

Atlanta Puja
215 Weatherwood CIR, Alpharetta
GA, 30004-3445, USA


India Cultural and Religious Center (ICRC)
1281 Cooper Lake Road
Smyrna, GA 30082, USA


CONNECTICUT
Associations of Indians in Connecticut
Durga Puja and Dusshera 2004
Rippowam Middle School
381 High Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06095
Contact Tel : (203) 968-2198 Email : sm_home@yahoo.com

CALIFORNIA
Pashchimi
Sunnyvale Temple
Hindu Temple & Community Center
420-450 Persian Drive
Sunnyvale CA 94089


Prabasi
Metzger Park
8400 SW Hemlock Street,
Portland, OR 97223


Bengali Association of Southern California
14900 La Mirada Blvd.
La Mirada, CA 90638-4752, USA


Dakshini
Torrance Civic Center
Torrance, CA, USA


Sanskriti
Henry M. Gunn High School
780 Arastradero
Palo Alto, CA 94306-3827 , USA


Lynbrook High School
1280 Johnson Avenue
San Jose, USA

CHICAGO
Bengali Association of greater Chicago
701 W. Schaumburg Road
Streamwood, IL 60107, USA


CHNDLER
Valley Unitarian Universalist Church
1700 West Warner Road
Chandler AZ, USA

COLORADO
Edgewater Church
closest major intersection - Sheridan & 25th
Denver, Colorado, USA

Milonee
The First United Methodist Church
1500 Ford Street
Golden, CO, USA


DALLAS
Bengali Association of Dallas-Fort Worth
1605 N. Britain Rd.,
Irving, TX 75061, USA


INDIANA
Bengali association of Indiana
Northview Middle School
8401 Westfield Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46240


MARYLAND
WALT WHITMAN High School
7100 Whittier Blvd
Bethesda, MD 20817


Prantik
Long Reach High School
6101 Old Dobbin Lane
Columbia, MD 21045, USA


MINNESOTA
Bethany Baptist Church
2025 Skillman Avenue, Roseville
MN 55113, USA


MICHIGAN
Hamilton Elementary School
5625 Northfield Parkway,
Troy, MI 48098, USA


MEMPHIS
Durga Puja
5530 Shady Grove Road
Memphis, TN 38120, USA

NEW JERSEY
ICC of Garden State
New Jersey
For http://www.iccgs.org

Garden State Puja Committee
Golden Door Charter School
180 9th St, Jersey City, NJ, USA
For

Garden State Cultural Association
Plainfield High School, 950 Park Avenue
Plainfield, New Jersey, USA
For

Kallol
Ukranian Church
Somerset, NJ, USA


Mt. Laurel Hartford School
Mt. Laurel Twp, NJ, USA

Parsippany Hills High School
20 Rita Dr, Parsippany, NJ, USA

NEW YORK
East Coast Durga Puja
Gujarati Samaj Hall
Flushing, NY , USA

Bangladesh Hindu Mandir
94-39, 44th Avenue
Elmhurst , NY - 11373, USA


PHILADELPHIA
Newman Center, Drexel University
33rd & Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, USA

RALEIGH
Millbrook Baptist Church
1519 Millbrook Road
Raleigh, NC, USA

TEXAS
Houston Durgabari Society
Houston, TX. USA


VIRGINIA
Lyon Village Community House
At the intersection of N.Highland St. & Lee Hwy
Arlington, Virginia, USA

AUSTRALIA
Uniting Church Hall
74 Station Road, Indooroopilly
QLD 4068, Australia

CANADA
League Hall
3728-106th Street
Edmonton, Canada


Bangiya Parishad
Tagore Centre
140 Millwick Drive
Toronto, CANADA

ENGLAND [UK]
Bengali Cultural & Social Club
Forest Road
Hainault - IG6 3HG


Leicester Ankurclub
Sparkenhoe Theatre, Ark world Centre,
Near to St. Peters Community Centre,
Leicester.


M. K. ANANDA CLUB
Jenny Lee Theatre Hall,
Bletchley Leisure Centre
Princes Way
Bletchley
MILTON KEYNES
MK2 2HQ


Leicester Probashi Durga Puja
St. Chads Church Hall
Coleman Road, Broad Avenue Jn
Leicester,UK


Sanatan Bengali Association
St. Andrews Church Hall
Chase side, Southgate,
London N14 5PP


St. Peter's Community Centre
Sparkenhoe Street,
Leicester,UK


Tooting Hub, St. Peter's Church,
7A, Beechcroft Road,
London SW 17 7DU.

Liverpool
Kirkby Sports Centre
Valley Road
Liverpool


Hindu Cultural Society
Grimsby - Technology Block
Havelock School
Unity Road, Grimsby, DN32


Asian Hindu Cultural Association
Society of Friends Meeting House
Hazelwells Street off Pershore Road
Stirchley, Birmingham B30 2JU

Midlands Indian Association
57-59 Lower Forster Street
Walshall WS1 1XB

Bengali Association Midlands
Bengali Association Hall
Heath Street, Winson Green, (Entrance Cuthbert Road)
Birmingham, B18 4EE


Nabarun Hindu Bengali Cultural Association
Shree Laxshmi Narayan Temple
541A Warwick Road
Tyseley, Birmingham B11 2JP


Bengali Cultural Association
Upton Centre
Claude Road
Upton Park
London E13
Click Here


Hindu Pragati Sangha
33 Rhondda Grove
London E3 4PB (Just off Mile End Rd)


Sanaton Association
28 Commercial Street
Nearest Tube Station: Aldgate East


London Durga Puja & Dusserah Committee
Camden Centre
Bidborough Street,
London WC1H 9DJ

Sanaton Bengali Association
De Bohun Primary School
Green Road, Southgate N14
Click Here

Durga Puja (Wembly)
Dennis Jackson Centre
London Road
Wembly HA9 7EU (Off Wembly High Road)


The South London Puja Committee
Bina Hall
4-8 Upper Tooting Road
London SW17 7PG
Click Here

Tooting Durga Puja Committee
Bivayogum Hall
180-186 Upper Tooting Road
London SW17

Hindu Cultural Association (Wales)
The India Centre
Sanquahar Street, Splott, Cardiff

Wales Puja Committee
Penyrheol Community Centre
Caerphilly


Shanti Hall
Penuel House
Twynyrodyn, Merthyr Tydfil

GERMANY
Gemeindezentrum St.Rupert
Koblenzer Strasse 13
70376 Stuttgart, Germany

KUALA LUMPUR
SS3 Community Centre
Kuala Lumpur

SWITZERLAND
Sarbajanin Durgapuja
Taj Palace Schützenburg
Uetlibergstrasse 354, Zurich
Tel. No.: +41 (0)1 4613100


RUSSIA
Moscow Durga Puja Association
21, Mikhluka Maklaya Street
Interclub, PFU campus
Moscow, Russia


UAE
Dubai Durga Puja
Sindhi Cultural Hall
Bur Dubai
Contact: uday gupta

Durga Puja Abroad

According to wikipedia, Durga Puja, also referred as Durgotsab is an annual Bengali festival that celebrates worship of Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi , Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Bijoya Dashami. The dates of Durga Puja celebrations are set according to traditional Bengali Calendar and the fortnight corresponding the festival is called Debi Pokkho. Debi Pokkho is preceded by Mahalaya ,the last day of the previous fortnight Pitri Pokkho, and is ended on Kojagori Lokkhi Puja, ‘Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon Night’)

Durga Puja is widely celebrated in West Bengal and Tripura where it is a five-day annual holiday. Not only it is the biggest Hindu festival celebrated throughout the State, but also the most significant socio-cultural event in Bengali society. Apart from West Bengal, Durga Puja is also celebrated in Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and in some parts of India including Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir, Karnataka and Kerala. Durga Puja is also celebrated as a major festival in Nepal and Bangladesh. Nowadays, many non-residential Bengali cultural organizations arrange for Durgotsab in the countries like United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Kuwait etc also. In 2006, a grand Durga Puja ceremony was held in the Great Court of the British Museum. [1]

The prominence of Durga Puja increased gradually during the British Raj in Bengal. After the Hindu reformists resemble Durga with India, she had become an icon for the Indian independence movement. On the first quarter of 20th Century, the tradition of Baroyari or Community Puja was popularised due to this. After independence, Durga Puja became one of the largest celebrated festivals in the whole world.

Durga Puja includes the worships of Shiva, Lakshmi, Ganesha, Saraswati, Kartikeya and Mahishasura also. Modern tradition have come to include the display of decorated pandals and artistically depicted idols of Durga, exchange of Bijoya Greetings and publication of Puja Annuals.

Asia

Asia
Japan Bengali Association of Tokyo batjapan@gmail.com	Hong Kong Hong Kong Bengali Association (HKBA) mailhkba@gmail.com
Singapore Bengali Association	Malaysian Malaysian Bengalee Association webmaster@mba.org.my
Australia & New Zealand
Australia Bengali Association of Western Australia (BAWA)	Sydney Bengali Association, Sydney GPO Box 4928 Sydney 2001 pujacomm@bansw.org.au
Victoria Bengali Association of Victoria (BAV) bav@bavwebsite.org	New Zealand Probasee Bangalee New Zealand P.O. Box 27388 Mt. Roskill Auckland New Zealand webmaster@probasee.co.nz
Palmerston North , New Zealand PRANTIK DURGOTSAB COMMITEE 153 Heretaunga St. Palmerston North New Zealand. mukherjees@xtra.co.nz
Canada Canada
Edmonton Edmonton Bengali Association infoeba@shaw.ca	Ottawa Deshantari webmaster@deshantari.com
Montreal Bengali Community
Europe
London,UK. Bengali Cultural Association, London, UK.	Wales, UK Puja in Wales skraha@doctors.org.uk
London,UK. Sanaton Association AVFW, Vetrans Hall, Osidge Lane, Southgate, N14 5DU London.durgapuja@hotmail.co.uk	Germany Stuttgart Mr. Tushar Kanti Ganguly, Tel/Fax: (0711) 825890, Stuttgart, Germ durgapuja@ganguly.de
Germany Puja in Cologne Germaniastra. 10 51103 Köln Tel: 0221-871559 Fax: 0221-87680 mail@tb-trade.com	Switzerland Sarbajanin Durgapuja 2006,Switzerland Swisspuja, 5400 Baden mail@swisspuja.com
Finland Helsinki Durga Puja	London South London Puja
U.K. Leicester Ankur webmaster@ankurclub.org	U.K. Milton Keynes M K Ananda Club
UK & Europe Prabashi webadmin@prabasi.co.uk	London Global London tellus@global-london.com
London South London Puja

United States of America

United States of America
Arizona Bengali Association of Arizona culturalSec@azbengal.org	California, Los Angeles Bengali Association of Southern California (BASC)
California, San Diego Saikat	California, San Francisco Bay Area Prabasi
California, Los Angeles and suburb Dakshini Bengali Association of California dakshinila@yahoo.com	California, San Francisco Pashchimi P.O. Box - 61032 Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1032. info@pashchimi.org
Colorado, Denver Milonee,The Bengali Cultural Association of Colorado milonee@milonee.net	Georgia, Atlanta Bengali Association of Greater Atlanta(BAGA) baga_org@hotmail.com
Illinois, Chicago Bengali Association of Greater Chicago members@bagc.net	Florida. Tampa Soikot Bengali Association of Greater Tampa Bay Rabi Ghosh Dastidar 16206 Ashley Park Place Tampa Florida - 33647 soikot_florida@yahoo.com
Georgia. Atlanta Pujari pujariinc@yahoo.com	Kansas City Sangam queries@sangam-midwest.org
Maryland, Baltimore Prantik,Bengali Association of Greater Baltimore Area partha6@verizon.net	Minnesota Bengali Association of Rochester Kanai Roy kanairoy@hotmail.com
New Jersey Kallol 41 Flemming Drive, Hillsborough, NJ 08844 Tel 908.431.0557 :: Fax 908.431.0995	New Jersey City Garden State Puja Committe info@gardenstaetepuja.org
New Jersey. Plainfield Garden State Cultural Association P.O. Box: 308, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076	New York East coast Durga Puja Association (Ecdpa) 28 Rifton Street, Elmont, NY-11003-4928 Phone: 516.825.0549 chandansinharoy@ecdpa.org
New York Ramakrishna Vivekananda Center 17 East 94th Street New York, NY 10128 rvcnewyork@worldnet.att.net	New York A Bengali Cultural Association of Greater Buffalo 68 Woodstream Drive Grand Island NY 14072 webmaster@buffalosanskriti.org
New York. Albany Bengali Cultural Association Mr. Prabal Dhar BCA President Ph: (518) 783-5755 bca_albany@yahoo.com	North Carolina. Charlotte Probasi of Charlotte PO Box 77946, Charlotte, NC 28271-7022
Pennsylvania,Philadelphia Pragati	Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh Bengali Association of Pittsburgh pksaha@verizon.net
Texas, Dallas Bengali Association of Dallas Forth Warth 1901 N. Central, Expressway#230 Richardson, Texas 75080 USA info@badfw.org	Texas, Dallas ANTORIK info@antorik.com
Texas, Houston Houston Durga Bari Society akniyogi@durgabari.org	Washington, Seattle Uttoran P.O. Box 3691 Bellevue, WA 98009-3691 uttoronseattle@yahoo.com
Washington DC Sanskriti 11606 Settlers Circle Germantown, MD 20876 301-916-8640 Info@sanskriti-dc.org	Wisconsin. Milwaukee Bengali Cultural Society P.O. Box 292, Pewaukee, WI 53072-0292 sujayd5247@yahoo.com
Bengali Association of Nebraska, US (BANE) Omaha Hindu Temple, Nebraska Alok Dhar Chair-Fund Raising Executive Committee E-mail: alokdhar2003@yahoo.com Ph: 402-399-5238

Delhi

Delhi
Munirka Sarbojanin Puja Samity Bengali community of Munirka, South Delhi	Vasundhara Enclave Vasundhara Enclave Durga Puja Samiti Community Ground Vasundhara Enclave New Delhi 110096
Mahilalpur AAI(IAD) Residential Complex Contact: Himanshu Dhar himanshudhar@yahoo.com Quarter no C-1/10/AAI Colony Mahilalpur, New Delhi - 110037	Mayur Vihar Purvasha Durga Puja Samity B-308 Anandlok Housing Society Mayur Vihar Phase - I Delhi 110091, Tel: +91-11-2254705
Ashok Vihar Durga Bari, Ashok Vihar Plot No: C-1, Pocket A Phase II, Ashok Vihar Delhi 110052 Tel: +91-11-7465349	Chittaranjan Park C.R. Park Durga Puja Samity "B-Block" B-379 Chittaranjan Park New Delhi 110019
Hauz Khas & Adjoining Areas Sarbojanin Durga Puja Committee H-1 Hauz Khas, New Delhi - 110016 Tel: +91-11-6863289, 664142	Chittaranjan Park C.R. Park Durga Puja Samity "Co-operative Ground" K-2033 C.R. Park, New Delhi 110019 Tel: +91-11-6413985, 6287480
Chittaranjan Park Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir Society New Delhi - 110019 Tel: +91-11-6416924	Chittaranjan Park Mela Ground Durga Puja Samiti D-687 Chittaranjan Park New Delhi 110019 Tel: +91-11-6462671
New Delhi Sabuj Sangha 479 Sector - IV, New Delhi - 110022 Tel: +91-11-6178249, 6185285	New Delhi Saptarshi D-712 C.R. Park, New Delhi - 110019 Tel: +91-11-6471753, 6427434
MUMBAI
Thakur complex Kandivali East Bengali Association BMC ground beside St.lawrence school, Thakur complex Kandivali (East), Mumbai.

source: http://www.calcuttahorizon.com/durgapuja_abroad.htm
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