Durga Puja in Kolkata
Bengal's favourite festival, Durga Puja is just over. In Kolkata this time, it was spread over a week instead of the regular 3-4 days. An outburst of celebration and gaiety marked the festival in the city. It was as if everyone was determined to have a good time, and cock a snook at sadness, despair and hopelessness. Which is not such a bad thing really. Festivals are after all meant to spread joy and cheer. Except that the gaiety came across sometimes as forced and overpowering. Microphones blaring, people thronging the streets, incessant sales and buying sprees and in-your-face celebrating, at times it was rather irritating. The media played its role in creating a feverish pitch and hype, with emphasis on how much you plan to indulge yourself during the festival. What? You are not planning to let go of all routine and normal work? You have not bought at least twenty sets of clothes, shoes and accessories to deck yourself to the T? You have not undergone cosmetic makeovers