❄️BENGAL CELEBRATES WINTER ❄️

The whole Bengal celebrates winter in a grand way. Although winter is considered as a numb season, Bengal celebrates winter as the end of all sorrows, with the hope of welcoming the new joyful and hopeful days. There's a phrase in Bengali- "Baaro maashe teyro paarbon" meaning thirteen types of festivals in twelve months. We are never short of festivals. Though Durga Puja is the main festival of Bengalis, we make winter fun. Winter is celebrated all over Bengal with fascinating fairs, where one can find artifacts, rich and varied cuisines of the state.

POUSH MELA

Shantiniketan- a renowned place in Birbhum, organizes grand and gala festivals from 23rd to 25th of December. It starts with 'Poush Mela', a fair full of artisans from all over India with their pieces of art , performers and various delicacies and snacks. People from all around the globe enjoy this fair.

Poush Mela

Upasana Mandir

Then comes Christmas, which is also  celebrated at the 'Upasana Mandir' - locally called 'kachghor' ( the glassroom) with some selected prayers and Rabindrasangeet, which glorify Lord Jesus.

POUSH SHANKRANTI AND POUSH PARBON

On the arrival of January, the 14th is celebrated as 'Poush Shankranti'. A special type of jaggery, made from dates- 'Nolen Gur' is a liquid jaggery which is often paired with Bengali sweets and is savoured in the winter season.

There's another festival- ' POUSH PARBON', when every Bengali household makes these special lip-smacking sweet dishes- Nolen gurer shondesh, Nolen gurer Rasogolla, patishapta, varities of pitha and many, many more.

Pithe-puli, patishapta...

Not only food and art fairs, but also book fairs are held in the cities. A famous one is the INTERNATIONAL KOLKATA BOOK FAIR. A vast collection of books are found here. People from abroad visit this fair. 

Sadly, since last two years, COVID has destroyed the festive mood of Bengal, and we Bengalis miss it a lot.