Powai Sharodotsav 2015

"Ya devi sarvabhuteshu shakti - rupena samsthita

Namas tasyai, namas tasyai, namas tasyai namo namah"

The above mantra evokes a strange tingling sensation at the bottom of every Bengali stomach. The reason is Durga Puja. In India and beyond many festivals are celebrated each year, but the kind of craze Sharodutsab witnesses cannot be described in words known to me. This festival is much more than festivities. If you visit West Bengal or more precisely Kolkata during this festival, what you will witness is not just a city drowned in celebrations. You will see an art gallery. Each puja pandal will be colossal, majestic. Somewhere they would have replicated the deserts of Rajasthan and somewhere you will see the white house in front of you. Artists and craftsmen from around the nation come to create such masterpieces which treats your eye candidly and lovingly. Again the idol, oozing beauty, signifying women empowerment and showering love and blessing, such is my triple eyed gracious Ma. Every corner of the city is enlightened with the lights of love and effervescence. Decked up like a new bride, it awaits our visits.

A Durga Puja Pandal of Kolkata

Miles away from hometown, we too do not want to miss out euphoria attached with Sharodutsab. Hence an easy option is to book tickets and fly to Kolkata. Where our family awaits our home coming. However as they say, man proposes God disposes. Durga Ma had other plans for us. From the last three years we have spent the auspicious Durga Puja Days in Mumbai. And to say the least it has been more than fulfilling. The reason may be, distance makes us more aware of our roots and hence we want to embrace our beings more passionately and also the people who share our thoughts. Spandan a socio-cultural group, has been our ground of togetherness, festivity and euphoria for the last three consecutive years during Sharodutsav and more. We call our Puja “Powai Sharodotsab” as the Puja takes place in Powai and most of the members also belong to the same. But again there are people like us, who travel at least 30 minutes each time to join the celebrations. These celebrations breathe enough life to combat the fast and furious life of the city for the rest of the year.

My narrative to follow is about “Powai Sharodotsab 2015”, like every year this year too we had a theme “REDISCOVERING ROOTS”. Innovative isn’t it? Theme pujas are very common in West-Bengal but not so in Mumbai, hence Spandan always stands apart by bringing out a unique theme each year. Our Idol, pandal and everything associated, resonates the theme we pitch.

What are we, if we donot know our roots? What are we, if we donot appreciate it? What are we, if we deny the clay that makes us? What are we, without our roots?

Keeping to our Theme this year, our idol was that traditional Ekchala. The pandal was decorated using Madhubani paintings from Bihar and Patachitra from rural Bengal. Even the inauguration was done by the artists themselves, who had taken out time of their simple village life to grace us in our maddening city. The paintings used were later auctioned and the money given to the talented artists.

A GLIPMSE OF ANANDO MELA:

Ghugni...Yummy!!

The winners

Some delectable Chinese spread

INAUGURATION:

Inauguration Ceremony

The door to the Goddess is finally opened

Ma in all her grandeur

Me ready for the inauguration programme

Pretty ladies of Spandan

Festivities started from Chothurthi, with the Anando Mela or Kitchen Battle. Where home cooked delicacies fight it out to be crowned the best. The inauguration was on Panchami. When our charismatic Ma was unveiled to bestow the world with all the goods. Attired in elaborate golden accessories and that powerful yet subtle look, melts you down as an onlooker. Devotion, love and a complex mixture of both spray like hormones in your inside. A strange feeling of being at home, even if you are away. Panchami night was beautifully decorated with children’s superlative dance performances. It was a treat to see crowd pouring in, right from day one.

Our Natok Group

A moment of rejoice

Shasti was special for me and Avishek. Like every year we had participated in a play, this time it was “Abbulish”. Grossly based on a story line similar to the famous movie “Liar Liar” starring Jim Carrey, it engaged the audience and they laughed their hearts out on every punch line. Despite of our hectic schedules, job life, travel, we had rehearsed and put rigorous efforts to stage a good show. And eventually we did. It was heart-warming to experience the kind of appreciation that followed. And that’s the best part of Spandan, there is humongous encouragement and driving force for you to take a toll on your daily schedule and live your dreams. Good education and achievements can only humble you, and I believe Spandan’s senior members are brand ambassadors of this school of thought.

A fusion of Manipuri and Bharatnatyam

A lovely Dance Performance

Little Fairies

On Saptami there was famous Bengali singer Jojo’s programme, followed by Ash King’s ravishing and engaging programme on Ashami night. On Nabami we rediscovered our roots yet again with singer Swapan Bose’s songs which brings with it the fragrance of wet earth, songs that treat your soul with moments of freedom. However our in-house performances were no less than celebrity acts. Whether we talk of the Agamani songs, or the Manipuri and Bharatnatyam fusion act, the elaborate Kathak extravaganza or the exuberant “Tasher Desh” each performance was a collectively portrayed masterpiece and treat to all our senses. Kudos to each one who brightened our evenings with their elaborate and magnificent talent, especially the little ones.

Ashtamir Anjali

Avishek

With Ash King

Rai and me on stage

Saptami Night

Nabami Night with Avishek

On Dashami with Bidisha and Dolan

We With Mainak and Bidisha

With Prabhjot, Krishna and Bidisha

We with Shalaka and Nilesh

Durga Puja is also about elaborate rituals and offerings and my deepest regards to the people in the Puja Committee who had put huge efforts to let every ritual flow laminar with the tithi. Not to forget the odd timings and the sleepless nights.

After Sindur Khela

The end of a season of festivity is marked with the ritual of Sindur Khela. A beautiful and colourful part wherein all women bid adieu to Ma by putting vermillion onto her and performing the “Boron” rituals. All married woman clad in typical Bengali fabrics and gold ornaments, play with vermillion smearing the air with red colour. It is a beautiful sight to behold and many photographers come to prison a few moments behind the bars of the lenses. Spandan’s Sindur Khela was captured by ABP news and featured live.

Festivities come to an end with immersion. Amidst the rhythm of Dhak, Sankha Dhyani, Ulu Dhyani and immeasurable heaviness, Ma starts her voyage towards Kailash.  And we, her children, start with our regular lives only in the hope of her return next year.

In this journey called life, festivals are a chance to actually live. Otherwise we eat, sleep, work and life moves on in its own sweet pace inadvertently. And so festivities to me is like that oxygen that gets me going. Because it is a hope, a hope for happiness to return, a hope to feel content. I donot not know, if I am over enthusiastic but yet I shamelessly say, I am already waiting for her return next year.

“Asche bochor abar hobe”

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

Pic courtesy: Mukesh Trivedi, Snehajit Roy, Prosun Roy, Arpita Panja, Shubhaasini Ghosh, Sanjiv Bose, Snehasis Batabyal, Mainak Chatterjee and Avishek Sengupta

You May also READ:
1. Unveiling the goddess with spandan
2. Rehearsing for our upcoming play-durgapuja 2015
3. The festival has begun with khnuti pujo
4. Durga puja-celebrating life
5. My six day saree saga

Durga Puja - Celebrating Life

As I open my eyes to a morning of festivity

As I open my eyes to joy and gaiety.

Corporeal free spiritedness touch my inside

To face rough life, I feel I am ready.

 

As autumn strikes my land of colours

As autumn spreads its hue.

The sky turns an intimate blue

How jollity strikes my life of race, I certainly have no clue.

 

My ear imagines the rhythm of “Dhak”

As my nose smells divine smoke.

My triple eyed Mother is soon to reach me

As my being will in celebrations soak.

 

With the smell of new clothes filling all homes

Impulsive shoppers running around.

The crowd, the make-up and unsaid love-stories

Each year Sharodutsav leaves me astound.

 

Festivals are colourful bits of life

Festivals are phases of cheer.

Breathing fresh life into saddened hearts

Bonding the near and dear.

 

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

 

 

Talvar - a movie review

Movies are reflections or derivations of reality, but most of the times, fortunately or unfortunately they are far from reality. In an era where movies like Happy New Year turns to be big hit, it is a pleasant surprise to see “Talvar”.  Before I go into the lucidity and clarity of the narration and its portrayal on celluloid, I want to convey my satisfaction on seeing something so close to reality. The houses, dresses and the people, are so real, so tangible, that you immediately establish a connection. And offcourse the acting part, which is far from acting, what appears on screen is a bunch of real people, in real life scenarios.

Talvar is largely or completely based on the infamous double murder case that had stirred the nation and its perception of humanity and parenthood. Aarushi and Hemraj murder case, is one of the few cases where reality is stranger than fiction for sure. In 2008, when 14 year old Aarushi Talwar of Noida and Hemraj a domestic help in the house, were found brutally murdered, the nation had come together to seek justice for the deceased. With loads of twists and turns in the case, finally Aarushi’s parents Dr. Rajesh Talwar and Dr. Nupur Talwar were declared guilty by court and sentenced to Life imprisonment. However, many conjectures and doubts had nested since the declaration and before. The verdict was based on only circumstantial evidences, without any concrete proof to pin point the guilty.

Talvar, the movie and a much researched one, intricately portrays the investigations and the loopholes in it, thus leaving you dumbstruck. And making you wonder about the integrity of the largest institution of investigation of the nation, the CBI, however in the movie they call the entity CDI for obvious reasons.

The movie starts with the discovery of a dead Aarushi and devastated parents Rajesh and Nupur pointing to missing domestic help Hemraj for the crime. The names however were changed. The depiction of Noida police is negative from its very first appearance on screen. The investigating officer’s coldness and lack of interest, leaves you feeling insecure of your safety. Meghna Gulzar’s Talvar evidently sided the convicted parents and goes on to narrate how police and CBI frames them, to fuel their internal strife and their inefficiencies. The cast of the movie has really done justice and I say that with conviction, as I have personally seen my videos and interviews of the Talwar Couple. Konkona Sen Sharma and Neeraj Kabi who play the mother and father of the victim, are very laminar with the portrayal of Nupur and Rajesh Talwar. If the highly researched movie Talvar and Avirook Sen’s Aarushi is to be believed, it is also almost impossible to overlook the coldness in the behaviour of Talwars seen in different interviews. And this aspect was portrayed truly magnificently by the actors. However Irfan Khan as the good cop steals the show, with his charm, frank approach and comic timing.

Overall probably, what Gulzar attempted to show, was not unknown to the nation. Yet it is a brave attempt to depict such a talked about case and putting the facts on face. I do not know the reality like most people, but if the reality is as gruesome as TALVAR, RIP justice.

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

I WANT TO BNLF

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

The festival has begun with "KHNUTI PUJO"

"Naba Anande Jago Aji...Naba Robi Kirane......"

As the cuckoo starts to sing in a distant meadow

As the breeze triggers a smile

We know what autumn has come to bestow

We know its time to return from exile

As the clouds loiter about

And the Kans grass moves to a rhythm unknown

The smell of new cloths spread around

It is season to embrace gaiety and sadness disown

As the goddess of Empowerment descents from heaven

As the season of festivities begin

Open your hearts to imbibe the warmth

Let Overwhelm flow out of your being just like a djinn............

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

As Lord Ganesha has already inaugurated the season of festivities of our nation full of colours, we Bengalis have geared up to welcome him back. This time he will be accompanied by his mother Devi Durga and siblings Lord Karthik, Devi Lakshmi and Devi Saraswati. As per mythology each year Devi Durga descents from Kailash and come to the earth with her children. Her annual visit to her maiden house, is our Durga Puja, or Sharodutsab in Bengali. A time when Bengal and Bengalis get all decked up and resonate vibes of joy, gaiety, culture and heritage. An entire season of living up to our own expectations in terms of effervesce and happiness. It is a time when every corner of the state and especially my city of joy Kolkata is illuminated with the never fading lights of union of different cultures, caste, creed and colours. A festival that brings the distanced nearer, a festival that distances negativities. Dressed like a new bride my city awaits the descent of Ma.

But my husband Avishek and I have been spending last three Durga Puja's in Mumbai. If you ask us, do we miss Kolkata? The answer will be most definitely YES. Yet we stay here, because there is something that pulls us back, refrains us from packing our bags and rushing out. And that is association, association with a lovely bunch of welcoming, warm and smiling faces, association with culture and its practice, association with SPANDAN. Celebrating the festival just like others but with a purpose......

SPANDAN FOUNDATION is a socio-cultural organisation comprising of warm hearted people who come together to celebrate festivals, spread humanity and much more. It is a pool of talent and a platform to showcase the same. We have been a part of it since the last three years and enjoyed the gradual development of cherished bonds and fragrances of friendship. Avishek and me both participate in plays and enjoy each moment of festivity with the association.

To mark the beginning of Powai Sharodutsav 2015, the first rung of the ladder is already stepped onto. Khnuti Pujo or placing the first bamboo on the ground where the holy rituals of the puja will be performed was executed last Sunday.

It was warm, and I would clarify and people who are in Mumbai will appreciate that warm is an understatement to define the current heat waves that has hit the city. The sun was happily bestowing its energy on us and draining us of the same. Yet believe you me, the vibrance could not be faded by sweat. Our dress code was red. Women clad is red dhakais and cottons, their coruscating red bindis, men in red kurtas...defied the hot sun and bravely endorsed the effervescence of the festival.

And then there was bong food, Kichuri, Irish Mach Bhaja, Beguni, Fulkopir Torkari and chutney made the delectable lunch spread for the afternoon. What more do we require to construct something constructive? Jokes apart that sunny Sunday afternoon started the countdown....for MA's Descent from Heaven.

A glimpse of Sunday, a day of vibrance.

It has begun..

Puja preparations...

Khnuti Puja...

Ladies in Red...Just a few

A cheerful moment

Women from Venus

Men from Mars

Yummy spread

The last two are my personal favourites ;-)

Thanks To Arnab da (Arnab Chakrabarty) and Prosun da (Prosun Roy) for the pics I have used here. However it is worth to thank the numerous other artistic eyes behind several lenses that captured lovely moments that day.

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

REHEARSING FOR OUR UPCOMING PLAY (DURGA PUJA 2015)

My growing up days were magical. I believe that has made me whatever I am, my love for nature, my love for writing...everything. My parents have given me and my sisters the best possible blend of independence, culture and acceptance.  They always taught me to face the world straight into the eyes...because if you are correct, you have nothing to fear. This same conviction has given me the confidence to face the audience, since I was a little kid, the stage has always summoned and embraced me.

Since the last three Durga Pujas that I have spent in Mumbai, I have participated in plays. Really the stage gives you chances to play many lives in one, and that's what is unique. The minutes or hours, that you spend with the spot light and pancake on you, makes you believe, think and behave differently. You forget who you are. Sometimes you are moody, sometimes nagging and sometimes unbelievingly righteous.

But "the day" is always too short, hectic and tensed, the real frolic is hidden during the rehearsals. Rehearsals are more than just rehearsing, they are means to bond with people, who share your passion. The candidness and beauty of the journey fills the within, with enough warmth to last a lifetime. Even today when I think of the rehearsals of my childhood participations, a shiny grin lightens up my face. Memories, memories and more memories, cherished moments!! The last three years with SPANDAN has filled me similarly. This association is unique in ways one than one, I have received immeasurable love from everyone. And hence the Durga Puja days sees me and my hardcore Kolkatian husband Avishek in Mumbai. Because Spandan is no less than family.

Each year Spandan comes up with a unique theme for Welcoming the Goddess of Empowerment, the symbol of equality and beyond. This year we aim at  "REDISCOVERING ROOTS". Our awesome Natok Group, is sweating it out to bring out the best in all of us....a few of the pics taken during rehearsals are shared below.

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

Ganesh Chathurthi-the beginning of the festive season

It’s been really long since I wrote anything. Life is quite hectic these days. But being busy before Durga Puja means happiness besides getting tired. Yes, the long awaited rehearsal days have reappeared in my life and again. Completing office work and running to Powai, is the reality of my life now. This awaited haste has that flavor that spices up life.

Durga Puja, Kolkata and Bengalis are kind of official synonyms. It is no rocket science to guess why I say so. Durga Puja celebrations in Kolkata are more than grandiloquent, it is effervescent and a reflection of Bengali life and living. However here in Mumbai, and likewise in many other cities across the world, wherever Bengalis come together, we dare to recreate the magic, we dream to recreate a home away from home. The organization I am attached with “Spandan” also aims to celebrate Durga Puja in Mumbai. We call it festival with a purpose and each year our idol, pandal aim at resonating some cause/theme. 2015 will see us “rediscovering our roots.”

As we indulge into preparations for welcoming Ma, the stage of festivities is set by Ganesh Puja, the festival that marks the beginning of an entire season of overflowing emotions, grandeur and fun. It is also the biggest festival in Maharashtra, the entire state and especially Mumbai, resonates with the tune of  "Joydev, Joydev Jai Mangalmurti", and so do we. Divine, is the word that describes the ambience created with the arrival of Shri Ganesh Deva in my city. The air has a tangible sense of happiness, a sense of comfort, a sense of sooth like mother's touch. Really when I think, I feel proud of my nation. Where in the world, so many diverse cultures stay together enjoying and participating in each other's festivities and celebrations? I salute my Nation, for being so unique. 

Our besties Shalaka and Nilesh are from Maharashtra, and like each year me and my husband went to their house for celebrating Ganesh Chathurthi. And surrounded by flowers, modak and homage sat the cutest God "Lord Ganesh", his sight fills me with hope. Hope to be able to fight the odds, hope to be able survive rough mavericks. Wanted  to share few pics we had taken at  their place.....
Be Happy....It is festival TIME!!!

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

The Divine

With the Divine

Shalaka and Me

Fun, Frolic in Aromas Cafe

Life in a metro, is like a race. And especially if you are a proud resident of Amchi Mumbai, your battle against time, will be a never ending one. Balancing your professional, personal and cherished will be quite more than tough. Frankly I think, the traffic inside the brain is heavier than on the roads. It might take an hour more to reach home, fighting for space with enormous number of vehicles that run on the city roads, but it takes hours to get prepared to face the road. Hence I believe, in cities like this, recreation and rejoicing with the right people, in the right place and never pushing a plan for the right time to come, is kind of essential to survive the rough mavericks. A good and understanding group of friends, make life worth living. Often we forget about the shortfalls and absences, and completely indulge into fun, frolic. It is important to let the aroma of friendship touch, it is important to open the gates to free-spiritedness.

Completely unexpectedly, this city has given me more reliable and lovable friends I could think of. All of them are treasured to me, and so are the moments spent with them.

Wherever in the world, bongs meet they tend to form a group. That does not necessarily mean, we shy away from others. It is just that being from one state, binds in terms of food habits, festivals and choices. However I firmly believe friendship has nothing to do with origin, because most my great friends are not bongs. However in Mumbai, we have small group of bongs, of similar age group and taste, we have named ourselves “Badly Bangali”. Our group meets on several occasions, celebrating our friendship and food is the most important ingredient of all our gatherings, after all bongs are born foodies.

Our recent meet was in Powai, in Aromas Cafe. A gathering for brunch. I kind of loved it, in-spite of not being in very good health, I enjoyed every moment of the morning. As usual not all of us were on time, including me and my husband Avishek. The decided time was 10 am, we reached at 10:30 am, however the brighter side was there were more late comers. And by 11 am, ten adults and three kids, had gathered under the same roof, occupying the central table and transforming the restaurant to a brighter and livelier one. Giggles, food, coffee, nostalgia, remembering the past and dreaming of the future, time passed beautifully. The three angel like kids Darshu, Hridi and the youngest Googly stole the show, with naughtiness and cuteness. A completely well spent morning.

About Aromas, I would say the food and ambience was good, we had ordered some smoked salon egg Benedict and  chicken rosti, along with several types of coffee, all of them tasted great. However they could include  some mocktails and fruit punches, because many like me, love fruity things for breakfast.

However, food and ambience are important. But more important is the urge to celebrate life, believe me there are many ways of doing so. After my life-style management session in office (read-Life Style Management), I have really learnt to appreciate the gravity of being happy, which actually is the key to good health, the best of all doctors.

Make friends, love them,be yourself and be happy!

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

Some of the pics taken on that day are as given below, unfortunately only the pretty ladies and bright kids were captured, the hunks were missed out ;-)

Posing outside

Another one, inside this time

Yet another lovely capture

Smoked Salmon  Eggs Benedict

Chicken Rosti