 |
Durga Puja
The start of winter coincides with Durga Puja in October, the most important festival in Bengal. According to Hindu mythology, all gods and goddesses of thee Hindu pantheon endowed
Durga |
|
|
Gangasagar Mela
There is a fairs held in celebration of two notify medieval personages who helped to colonize the fearful jungle of
Sunderbans by their reputedly spiritual powers.
|
 |
|
 |
Id-ul-Fitr
Id
is the largest festival to the Muslims of West Bengal. Id-ul-Fitr comes after the lapse of the Ramjan
month and marks a happy communion after a month of prayer and fasting.
|
|
|
Jatra
Festival
A form of entertainment, exclusive in Bengal, is Jatra. A month-long festival of Jatra shows is held at Rabindra Kanan, Chitpur during December-January.
|
 |
|
 |
Jhapan
Festival
All over the Western part of the state, a festival is held in the honor of the
serpent-deity Manasa on the previous day of the Bengali month
Sravana (mid-August).
|
|
|
Kali Puja
Kali Puja is primarily a Bengali festival, held in accordance to the lunar calendar around the first week of November. The Goddess Kali is worshipped at night on one night during this festival.
|
 |
|
 |
Kenduli Mela
On the occasion of Makar Sankranti (mid-January) another fair is held at Kenduli in the district of Birbhum. The Mela draws the largest number of Bauls, the wandering minstrels of Bengal.
|
|
|
Kolkata
Book Fair
All the major book publishers of India set up stalls at the Kolkata Maidan. Publishers from other countries regularly participate. Books are available at amazing discounts.
|
 |
|
 |
Naba Barsho or Poila Baisakh
The first month of the Bengali calendar, Baishakh, marks the starting of the crop cycle in Bengal. A lot of Bengali weddings are held in this month, and new businesses started.
|
|
|
National Theatre Festival
Keeping true to its tradition of theatre, Kolkata has an annual theatre festival between
16 and 25 December.
|
 |
|
 |
Poush Mela
The Pous Mela at Shantiniketan is held evey year around December 22 the date on which the Adi Brahmo shrine at the seat of Tagore
was dedicated in 1891.
|
|
|
Rabindra Jayanti
Rabindra Jayanti (Celebration of the birthday of Rabindrnath Tagore)
falling on May,7/8 is the most widely observed cultural festival in West
Bengal.
|
 |
|
 |
Ratha Yatra
The Rath Yatra festival falls on the late of June or early July. It is celebrated in the
honour of Lord Jagannath an avatar of Vishnu.
|
|
|
Vasanta Utsav
The end of winter is heralded by the festival of Sri-Panchami, i.e. the
Vasant-Panchami held almost all over India on a date
between the last week of January and the middle of February.
|
 |
|
 |
Kolkata
Film Festival
Every November between 10 and 17, the Kolkata Film Festival is a gala event, showing films in various theaters, holding seminars, exhibitions and book
bazars, attracting large crowds of film-lovers.
|
|
