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Bera Utsav
Every year on the
last Thursday of the
Bengali month of
Bhadra
mid-September), Bera
Utsav is held at
Lalbagh on the river
Bhagirathi near the
palace of the Nawabs.
Fireworks of various
size and colour add
to the gaiety of the
festival. |
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 Durga
Puja & Deepavali
The largest Bengali
festival is Durga
Puja, held in the
Bengali month of
Aswin (October).
Images of the
ten-armed goddess
are worshipped in
ancient houses and
at pandals, erected
specially for the
Puja. After the
four-day ceremony,
the images are
immersed in the
river. Durgapuja is
the most important
festival in the city
of Calcutta. |
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 Gangasagar
Mela
The largest fair of
the State,
Gangasagar Mela is a
three-day event held
in mid-January, on
the occasion of
Makar Sankranti, at
Sagar Dwip. Lakhs of
pilgrims come for a
holy dip at the
confluence of the
Ganga and the Bay of
Bengal. |
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 Jagaddhatri
Puja
Goddess Jagaddhatri
is worshipped in the
Bengali month of
Kartick (November).
At Chandannagar near
Calcutta images of
the goddess are
tall, pandals
spectacular and the
illumination unique.
In fact, the
illumination part is
the most attractive
feature here. |
Jalpesh Mela
On the occasion of
Sivaratri (February
- March), a
month-long fair is
held at Jalpesh near
Mainaguri in the
district of
Jalpaiguri. The fair
centres round the
age-old Siva temple
dedicated to Lord
Jalpeswara. |
Jhapan
All over the Western
part of the state, a
festival is held in
the honour of the
serpent-deity Manasa
on the last day of
the Bengali month
Sravana
(mid-August). But
the most spectacular
is the one held at
Vishnupur in the
district of Bankura,
with its shows of
live snakes on open
platforms. |
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. |
Naba Barsho
The Bengali year
starts from the
first Baisakh
(mid-April). It is
an occasion for
celebration to the
Bengalees in general
and tradesmen in
particular. New
clothes, fresh
flowers, offerings
at temples, people
visiting decorated
shops mark the day. |
Poush Mela
Between the 7th and
9th of Poush
(end-December).
Poush Mela is held
at Santiniketan in
the district of
Birbhum. Of the many
seasonal festivals
celebrated at
Santiniketan, this
is perhaps the most
important, with
cultural programmes
consisting of folk
music & dance, folk
theatre and Baul
songs. |
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Rash Mela
On the occasion of
Rashyatra
(November), a fair
is held at Cooch
Behar in North
Bengal. The
month-long fair is
one of the most
important fairs in
the area. |
 Rathayatra
Rathayatra
(June-July) at
Mahesh near
Serampore is a
week-long festival.
People throng to
have a share in
pulling the long
ropes attached to
the chariots of Lord
Jagannath, Balaram
and Subhadra on the
journey from the
temple and back. |
Teesta Tea &
Tourism Festival
Held in a series at
Darjeeling, the
Dooars and in Sikkim,
the Teesta Tea &
Tourism Festival is
celebrated with a
view to promote
tourism in this
region as a
composite tourist
destination, with
its bounties in tea,
timber and tourism.
The festival is held
every year in
November - December. |
 Vasanta
Utsav
With the onset of
spring, Holi is
celebrated all
throughout India. At
Santiniketan in the
district of Birbhum,
it is Vasanta Utsav
(March). Students of
the Visva Bharati
University welcome
the season of
colours through
songs and dances,
throwing abir and
spraying liquid dyes
at each other. |
Vishnupur
Festival
In the temple town
of Vishnupur a
festival is
organised every year
between 27 and 31
December.
Characterised by
exhibition and sale
of local handicrafts
and performance of
the rich musical
tradition that
Vishnupur boasts,
this is an immensely
popular festival. |
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