Bengal observes Mahalaya, gears up for Durga Puja

Durga Puja celebrations commenced in Kolkata on Tuesday (Sept 19, 2017) with Mahalaya. The Bengali community, like many others, observed the final day of Pitru-paksha through Mahalaya, the auspicious occasion when one pays tribute to ancestors through prayers, rituals and a dip in the river Ganga. (Images by IBNS)

Kolkata's Chalta Bagan Lohapatty Durga Puja witnesses star-studded Sindur Khela today

It was a star-studded Sindur Khela at the Chalta Bagan Lohapatty Durga Puja in Kolkata on Friday (Oct 14, 2014) where several actresses and fashionistas including Rituparna Sengupta, Moon Moon Sen and Agnimitra Paul among others indulged in the colourful ritual before the immersion of the Durga idol which officially concludes the biggest carnival of Bengalis.

Mahalaya ushers in Durga Puja countdown

People performing 'Tarpan', a Hindu ritual of offering water to ancestors at the Ganga on the auspicious occasion of 'Mahalaya,' which marks the beginning of 'Debipaksha' or the day the goddess Durga is believed to have descended to earth.

NGO launches Durga Puja guide in braille for blinds

Kolkata, Sept 19 (IBNS): NIP NGO (National Institute of Professionals), an organization that runs computer training centre for the Blinds came up with an innovative initiative of launching Durga Puja Guide in 'braille' for the blinds and organizing 'Differently Abled and Senior Citizen Friendly Durgotsab Awards' for the year 2014.