Poush Mela in Shantiniketan showcases Bauls coming to perform at the Mela from numerous villages in West Bengal. The evenings at the Poush Mela are mostly reserved for the Baul songs. Who are the Bauls? Bauls are the famous wandering minstrels of Bengal, known for their songs on poet Lalon […]
Surajkund Crafts Mela is a much-awaited event in Delhi-Haryana’s annual cultural calendar. A 15-day fair that brings together artisans from different parts of the country as well as from other participating nations across the world, the Surajkund Crafts Mela is truly a melting pot. Every year, one Indian state is […]
We didn’t know anything about the Fireworks event that marks the 2nd or the 3rd day of the Poush Mela in Shantiniketan. But when we heard people talking about it on our first day at the Mela, we, like the others, got curious and made inquiries. Yes, it would take […]
We go directly to the main question — What was that one thing about Poush Mela that put us off? The crazy crowd. It was too too crowded and not with the ‘right’ sort of people. That, over the years, has earned the biggest negative sentiments about Poush Mela. Loyalists […]
Just as Shantiniketan had been a childhood dream, so has been Poush Mela. Had read so much about it, had heard so many people eulogise about it over the years that it had become one of my personal must-visit destinations. Thanks to God’s grace, both Shantiniketan and Poush Mela became […]
After our Lalbaugcharaja darshan on Monday, we decided to walk up to the other famous Ganesh in the same neighbourhood – Mumbaicharaja. Touted as the oldest Ganesh mandal in Mumbai, Mumbaicharaja is famous for its changing themes every year. This year, they made a replica of the Somnath Mandir of […]
Lalbaugcharaja is a pilgrimage of sorts. Every year, millions throng its pandal for a darshan of this Rajah of all Ganeshas in Mumbai. They queue in the sweltering heat for hours for just a peek of the good Lord. So long we had been put off by stories of the serpentine […]
September is special for Mumbai. It is not only Ganapati time now, but also time for the week-long Mother Mary Feast that celebrates the birth of the Virgin Mary. Every year, the festivity starts from the Sunday after 8th September. Also known as the Bandra Fair, this year the dates are […]