The story starts with Durga Puja versus Diwali, Rosogolla versus Ghevar, Panjabi/Sari versus Sherwani/Salwar Kameez and continues forever with veg, non-veg, Alpona, Rangoli, Lokkhir Pachali, Hanuman Chalisa and most importantly art versus business, needless to say which party favors which aspect of life.
Deepavali (Diwali) has been added at the 16th spot in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The announcement was made at the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage, being held at Red Fort in New Delhi.
New Delhi station could smoothly handle the extremely heavy rush of Diwali and Chhath with the help of holding area. The holding area was completed within four months.
“A disturbing trend this year has been the emergence of severe chemical burn-like injuries linked to carbide-based firecrackers,” said experts while speaking about the rise of this new hazard during a press conference in New Delhi.
The modern reality is that the mobile flashlight has become the go-to tool for modern collective expression.
Our struggle at the end of the day is getting peace and comfort, and somewhere down the line we find peace in building a relationship with nature, therefore taking a break from digital flat screens. To mark this year’s progress in promoting an eco-friendly Diwali celebration, The Statesman reached out to various individuals from diverse fields in Kolkata.
The 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's temple was held on January 22, 2024.
Bengal’s presiding deity, however, is Ma Kali. She is all powerful. So even if Kali is worshipped during Diwali or Dipannita, as we say in Bengal, not only in a mandap or temples but in a few homes too, Ma Lakshmi is no less an important deity.
Diwali or Deepawali is celebrated as the day when light wins over darkness and good wins over evil. Goddess Kali, who rules both, the worlds of light and of darkness, is worshipped on this day and throughout this season, in her various avatars – Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati.
As Diwali and Halloween- two contrasting festivals align on one day, it marks how the cultural confluence of spirituality and spookiness allows us to traverse through and balance traditional and contemporary aspects, resulting in a fluid, cross-cultural discourse.
