Puja

It is Durga Puja (puja is a general word for hindu worship/festival) time here in Kolkata - the biggest Hindu festival celebrated here. All around the city incredibly elaborate temples have been built for the goddess, and for the past coupe weeks people have been shopping like mad (creating crazy crowds everywhere). There's lots of drumming and music, and generally wandering around. all over the city little food courts have been set up. people dress up in nice new clothes and will wander around all night looking at the different temples. (some of the SB ladies told me i should dress up and roam around, and then i could find my husband). the temples are made of all different stuff - used computer hard drives, match-sticks, coins, grass. part of me would like to see them, but most of me wouldn't be caught dead out in the crowds.

we've been holed up since wednesday night, when the festivities began. the festival runs through Sunday, and then all the goddesses will be driven down to the river and thrown in (as an act of worship) unfortunately our road is a main road leading to the river, so word on the street is that we'll continue to get a lot of noise for a few days extra

it is really pretty - there are lights up all over - on buildings, and there certainly is an air of festivity (and for me, honestly annoyance at times with the noise and the constant programs being broadcast over loud speaker. really, its amazing how many times they test their sound systems, and how long it takes each time!)

the first video was taken at midnight! (the party wasn't showing any signs of letting up anytime soon!) and the second was taken earlier in the day.



we just dared to go out for a bit - got some great street food, visited a friend, and our downstairs neighbors just fed us a great snack! its actually pretty cool - like a fair moved into the neighborhood...totally different than the "normal" walk home.





here's the madness at street level...