Page 3 - Durga Puja

Dussehra 2023: When is Vijayadashami? Know date, history, significance

While the name Dussehra is more common in North Indian states and Karnataka, Vijayadashami is popular in West Bengal

5-yr-old among 3 killed in stampede at Puja pandal in Bihar's Gopalganj

A five-year-old boy and two women were killed, while several others received injuries in a stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in Bihar's Gopalganj district on Monday, police said. The incident happened at a crowded pandal in the Raja Dal locality of the town, Superintendent of Police Swarna Prabhat said. He said devotees had lined up to receive "prasad" when the child fell down and two elderly women bent down to protect him from getting crushed. "The ensuing commotion left 13 women and the child injured. They were rushed to the Sadar hospital. The boy and the two elderly women died. The rest were said to be out of danger," said the SP. Meanwhile, the area around the site of the incident has been sealed with a view to keep the situation under control, he added.

Maha Navami 2023: Wishes, quotes and messages to share with family, friends

Maha Navami is an auspicious festival celebrated throughout the country. This festival is celebrated on October 23, 2023. Here are the wishes, quotes and messages to share with friends

Navratri 2023, 9th Day: Maa Siddhidatri Puja, Havan, Aarti and Kanya Poojan

On the ninth day of Navratri 2023, devotees worship goddess Siddhidatri, who is known to be the giver of perfection to devotees. Here is everything you need to know about this auspicious day

Empower women by making them equal partners in nation-building: Prez Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday greeted citizens on the eve of Durga Puja and said the country must empower women by making them equal and honourable partners in nation-building. "The festival of Durga Puja symbolises the victory of good over evil, awareness over ignorance and truth over falsehood. Worshipped in many forms, Maa Durga gives us the strength to keep the divisive and destructive forces at bay," Murmu said. She asked all to take a pledge to work for the unity and integrity of the country, following good conduct and with the spirit of service. "We must empower women by making them equal and honorable partners in nation-building," the president said. She has sent her greetings to fellow citizens on the eve of Durga Puja, a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said. "On the auspicious occasion of Durga Puja, I extend my heartiest greetings and good wishes to all Indians living in India and abroad," it added.

Durga Puja's Unesco spark ignites pandal art, business and more

West Bengal's cultural extravaganza sees higher sponsorships, heightened creativity

Top 6 Durga Puja pandals that will mesmerise you in Kolkata, check list

The Durga Puja festival is celebrated with complete joy and enthusiasm. The festival will start on October 20 and will conclude on October 24. Here's the list of top Durga Puja pandals

Navratri 2023 Day 4: Everything you need to know about Maa Kushmanda

On the day 4 of Navratri on October 18, Maa Kushmanda is worshipped. Hindus worships Maa Durga and her nine forms during the celebration, mark fasts, eat satvik food, and seek blessings of the goddess

Power utilities to offer subsidised tariff for Durga, Navratri Pandals

Adani Electricity, BEST undertaking and Tata Power to provide uninterrupted power supply to Navratri/Durga Puja pandals at subsidised residential rates within 48 hours after receiving the applications

Tripura to buy 80MW additional power for Durga Puja: Power Minister

Tripura is planning to buy 80MW additional power to ensure uninterrupted electricity during Durga Puja, Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath has said. This year, the state's power demand is expected to be around 380MW during the Durga Puja days, Nath said after a review meeting here on Friday. In 2021, the state's peak hour demand during Durga Puja, the state's biggest festival, was 327MW, which rose to 332MW in 2022, he said. "Like previous years, Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd (TSECL) has taken steps to provide uninterrupted power during Durga Puja. We expect the demand to be around 380MW this year during the festival days," he said. "The state currently has 300MW power. TSECL will arrange an additional 80MW to meet the requirement during Durga Puja,' he added. He hinted at cutting down power sales to Bangladesh to ensure adequate power supply during the festival days. At present, the state sells 100MW power to the neighbouring country daily. Nath appealed to the Puja organ

Ashadha Gupt Navratri 2023: Everything you need to know about this Navratri

Ashadha Navratri is considered to be the lesser-known Navratri festival that is celebrated by the ardent devotees of Goddess Durga

Durga Ashtami 2023: Importance, customs, greetings to send your loved ones

The Panchang says that the Durga Ashtami 2023 Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month will begin on March 28 at 7:02 p.m. and end on March 29 at 9:07 pm

Bengal Durga Puja economy this year crosses Rs 45,000-cr mark: Stakeholders

Even though the World Bank has downgraded India's growth forecast to 6.5 per cent for the current fiscal, business activities surrounding West Bengal's Durga Puja this year witnessed a "sharp upswing" with estimated value of the festive transactions "crossing Rs 45,000-crore mark" after the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. All stakeholders, ranging from retailers to hoteliers and restaurateurs, reported sales "more than expectations", while puja organisers were ecstatic with the festive spirit among people. "The trend is much better than expected. In our opinion, the puja economy in Bengal crossed the Rs 45,000-crore mark if we compare this year's festival with that of 2019 when there was no COVID. "Large-scale pujas were organised in districts this time. On average, the advertisement expenditure has increased by 45-50 per cent," Forum For Durgotsab, an umbrella organisation of community pujas, president Kajal Sarkar told PTI. Retailers and hoteliers experienced "30-40 per

Grand carnival to showcase idols of top 95 Durga Pujas in Kolkata today

Idols of the top 95 Durga Pujas in Kolkata will be showcased at a grand carnival in the heart of the city on Saturday afternoon. The community puja committees will take part in a colourful parade on Red Road, showcasing the brilliant craftsmanship which was on display during the five-day festival before an audience led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, representatives of UNESCO, diplomats of different countries and others. UNESCO has accorded Intangible Heritage status to the city's Kolkata Durga puja. The carnival which will start at 4.30 pm will be bigger and better this year, officials said. The carnival in Kolkata is being organised annually since 2016, except for the last two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Such carnivals were organised in every district of the state this year to mark the UNESCO honour. However, no such programme was held in Jalpaiguri as the district mourned the deaths of eight people who were swept away by a flash flood in the Mal river during ...

Two die of electrocution from poles during Durga Puja in UP's Barabanki

A 17-year-old boy and a man died due to electric shock after coming in contact with iron poles in a Duga Puja pandal here, police said on Thursday. The incident took place in Basaigaur village on Wednesday evening in which Somnath (35) and Rohit (17) died on the spot, they said. According to a villager, the wire from which power connection was supplied to the pandal was broken somewhere due to which electric current came in the poles. The pandal was wet due to rains in the afternoon, he said. Due to the current, several others also received electric shocks. The bodies of the two have been sent for post-mortem, police said. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Ram Sanehighat, Ram Asre Verma said the relief amount will be given to the family of the victims by the district administration according to the norms. State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Satish Sharma also reached the spot and met the villagers.

Festival sales: Consumer firms see robust demand across categories

E-commerce firms and online retailers too have been having swinging times

Curtains down on Durga puja festival in West Bengal with idol immersion

The five-day-long Durga Puja festival in West Bengal came to a close on Wednesday with the immersion of idols on 'Vijayadashami' at various river ghats across the state. Women participated in the traditional 'Sindur Khela' (smearing vermilion on each other's faces) and offered sweets and prayers to the goddess before bidding her farewell for the year. Organisers of most household and community pujas were seen leading colourful processions to the ghats amid the beating of drums and chanting of mantras. Shortly after the immersion, people exchanged sweets and greetings. At Babughat, which witnesses the highest number of idol immersions in the state, devotees were seen queuing up since 11 am, with chants of Asche bochor abar hobe' (till next year) adding to the fervour. According to sources in Kolkata Police, adequate security arrangements have been made on the thoroughfares and at the river ghats for peaceful observance of the idol-immersion ceremony. The immersion of big-ticket Du

136 ft Durga Puja pandal in Lucknow to enter Guinness Book as tallest

The Durga Puja pandal, situated in Jankipuram, Lucknow is going to be recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest ever.

Crowds brave rain to visit puja pandals on 'Maha Ashtami' across Bengal

Braving rain, crowds swelled at the ornate Durga Puja pandals on Monday evening in Kolkata and across West Bengal after the ritualistic pushpanjali' (floral offerings) to the Goddess by worshippers in the morning of 'Maha Ashtami'. Festive fervour oozed all-around in the brightly illuminated city as revellers attired in their best descended on the streets to visit popular puja pandals, with the number of people increasing manyfold in the evening. Following the Maha Ashtami puja in the early morning, worshippers gathered at their local puja pandals to offer 'pushpanjali' to Goddess Durga amid chanting of mantras (hymns) by the priest. A forecast of rain by the Met department failed to deter the revellers as they appreciated the intricate artworks at the pandals after two years of Covid pandemic-related health safety restrictions. All Durga Puja pandals in West Bengal had been made no-entry zones for members of the public in 2020 and 2021 on orders of the Calcutta High Court to curb

Partha Chatterjee not allowed to participate at Durga Puja in jail

Unlike most inmates, he will have to spend the majority of the time in his cell during the four days of Puja from October 1 to October 5