10.15.18
Sometimes There Actually is a Silver Lining Around a Cloud...
I was really upset when I discovered my original departure date for Bhutan/India was not going to include Bhutan because apparently I was the only traveler indicating that I wanted to include this optional pre-trip. But OAT proactively decided to include me on this departure (4 days earlier than my first reservation), which was kept open pending my approval - which was very late in coming since I was in the Amazon River forest and the Galapagos - both of which had no internet.
When I did finally reenter the land of the internet and retrieve several voicemails, I still had no way to contact OAT to see what the problem was. Plus, I had no access to my calendar to check on rescheduling. It turned out there were no conflicts so we were good to go. And wouldn't you know it, but now I arrived in Kolkata during Durga Puja, the most famous 10-day, West Bengal festival!
But much more on that later...our first stop was at the "Mother House." the location of Mother Teresa's 1950 Missionaries of Charity. She spent almost 50 years of her life there, caring for the ill and the destitute in Kolkata. And in 1997, her body was laid to rest in a tomb on the premises. She was declared a saint in 2016.
To fully experience India one must fully embrace the sensory overload that is everywhere, everyday, 24-7...
So here is a short segment for you to enjoy the traffic and the constant horn-honking before trying to absorb the overwhelming humanity that makes NYC, Beijing and Vietnam a walk in the park!
https://youtu.be/OSQWTq7xN6A
And some photos for your entertainment...
The flower market was clearly the most crowded real estate we had to navigate on foot...
Starbucks has nothing on Indian Coffee House, an absolutely incredible, multi-story coffee shop on College Street - founded in 1936 and run by worker coop societies and one of 400 locations in Kolkata. Formerly Albert Hall, very conveniently located to 2 universities and a meeting place for a veritable list of scholars, poets, writers and artists. I loved the old-British styled, mohawk-looking hats the servers wore. Chinese food and other food offerings were priced very affordably. And you can tell the building's age from the power boxes whose cables are incredibly overloaded.
The first tale involves the shopkeepers' practice of hanging a lemon/chile charm at the entrance - the lemons for their good luck and positive role in many Hindu rituals, and the hot peppers to ward away bad luck and the evil eye. This superstition gained strength during hard economic times and owners made sure to replace their charms on a weekly basis - usually tossing the shriveled lemons out into the street. Parents were known to warn their children not to step on them - for fear of releasing the evil spirits they absorbed from their contact with the chilies.
And speaking of festivals...
Durga Puja, the most famous West Bengal festival, especially in Kolkata, honors the Hindu Goddess Durga and over a 10-day period. Days 6-9 the incredible thematic, temporary constructions, called Pandals, are open to visitors. Every year there is a competition with prizes based upon their quality and presentation of sculptures inside.
The next 2 photos feature the inside and outside of one neighborhood Pandal.
The next 4 photos feature an elaborate pandal with a pollution theme. Note the car in the first photo; some of the decorated gas cans in the second photo; hands reaching for help from smog and car exhaust in the 3rd photo; and the incredibly detailed sculpture in the 4th photo.
This Pandal was one of my favorites that I actually saw lit up in the wee hours of the morning I was driven from the airport to the hotel.
I would say the highlight of the entire day for me was the incredible journey of discovery in the Hindu lore and construction of these intricate sculptures composed simply of clay, straw and bamboo by generations of families - and shaped, as Saha said so well, "by the magic in their fingers."
The Ganges River seems to be the beginning and the end of the process, as family members and workers retrieve the clay from the river and mold it into round balls for transportation to their shops.
The "magic" begins in the small shops - which, like many of the neighborhoods and streets in Kolkata - are side by side, one after the other, on both sides of the street...
The eyes are always painted last, after the Goddess Durga arrives on earth. The idols are brought home and displayed in the Pandals on the 6th day of the festival. Flowers, sweets, jewelry and other items are added to the display.
As you can see from the photos, most of the sculptures feature just a few versions of the Goddess Durga, with the most popular highlighting her as the goddess of war and the harbinger of good over evil. She is usually shown standing on her husband Shiva (accidentally or on purpose - maybe you get to choose) with her tongue sticking out (in shame for accidentally stepping on him? Or as punishment for his infidelity?)
She is usually sculpted nude with darker skin; with 4 arms and hands - 2 arms - usually her left ones - with a sword and a severed head; her 2 right hands appear to be blessing her devoted followers - with good triumphing over evil.
The Goddess' children are represented by animals: Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, scholarship and knowledge, is symbolized by the owl; Brahma by the swan; Ganesha, the mouse (or rat); and Kartikya, the peacock.
The tenth day, also known as Dashami, marks the Visarjan (immersion in water) of the idol with grand celebrations and processions. We will not be able to witness that since we will be in Bhutan tomorrow, but I am definitely enjoying the music and celebrations from my hotel room as I work to finish this entry!
Sometimes There Actually is a Silver Lining Around a Cloud...
I was really upset when I discovered my original departure date for Bhutan/India was not going to include Bhutan because apparently I was the only traveler indicating that I wanted to include this optional pre-trip. But OAT proactively decided to include me on this departure (4 days earlier than my first reservation), which was kept open pending my approval - which was very late in coming since I was in the Amazon River forest and the Galapagos - both of which had no internet.
When I did finally reenter the land of the internet and retrieve several voicemails, I still had no way to contact OAT to see what the problem was. Plus, I had no access to my calendar to check on rescheduling. It turned out there were no conflicts so we were good to go. And wouldn't you know it, but now I arrived in Kolkata during Durga Puja, the most famous 10-day, West Bengal festival!
But much more on that later...our first stop was at the "Mother House." the location of Mother Teresa's 1950 Missionaries of Charity. She spent almost 50 years of her life there, caring for the ill and the destitute in Kolkata. And in 1997, her body was laid to rest in a tomb on the premises. She was declared a saint in 2016.
To fully experience India one must fully embrace the sensory overload that is everywhere, everyday, 24-7...
So here is a short segment for you to enjoy the traffic and the constant horn-honking before trying to absorb the overwhelming humanity that makes NYC, Beijing and Vietnam a walk in the park!
https://youtu.be/OSQWTq7xN6A
And some photos for your entertainment...
The flower market was clearly the most crowded real estate we had to navigate on foot...
Starbucks has nothing on Indian Coffee House, an absolutely incredible, multi-story coffee shop on College Street - founded in 1936 and run by worker coop societies and one of 400 locations in Kolkata. Formerly Albert Hall, very conveniently located to 2 universities and a meeting place for a veritable list of scholars, poets, writers and artists. I loved the old-British styled, mohawk-looking hats the servers wore. Chinese food and other food offerings were priced very affordably. And you can tell the building's age from the power boxes whose cables are incredibly overloaded.
Our guide, Brototi Saha, was a great storyteller, especially when it came to quite interesting Hindu gods, practices and festivals...
The first tale involves the shopkeepers' practice of hanging a lemon/chile charm at the entrance - the lemons for their good luck and positive role in many Hindu rituals, and the hot peppers to ward away bad luck and the evil eye. This superstition gained strength during hard economic times and owners made sure to replace their charms on a weekly basis - usually tossing the shriveled lemons out into the street. Parents were known to warn their children not to step on them - for fear of releasing the evil spirits they absorbed from their contact with the chilies.
And speaking of festivals...
Durga Puja, the most famous West Bengal festival, especially in Kolkata, honors the Hindu Goddess Durga and over a 10-day period. Days 6-9 the incredible thematic, temporary constructions, called Pandals, are open to visitors. Every year there is a competition with prizes based upon their quality and presentation of sculptures inside.
The next 2 photos feature the inside and outside of one neighborhood Pandal.
The next 4 photos feature an elaborate pandal with a pollution theme. Note the car in the first photo; some of the decorated gas cans in the second photo; hands reaching for help from smog and car exhaust in the 3rd photo; and the incredibly detailed sculpture in the 4th photo.
This Pandal was one of my favorites that I actually saw lit up in the wee hours of the morning I was driven from the airport to the hotel.
I would say the highlight of the entire day for me was the incredible journey of discovery in the Hindu lore and construction of these intricate sculptures composed simply of clay, straw and bamboo by generations of families - and shaped, as Saha said so well, "by the magic in their fingers."
The Ganges River seems to be the beginning and the end of the process, as family members and workers retrieve the clay from the river and mold it into round balls for transportation to their shops.
The eyes are always painted last, after the Goddess Durga arrives on earth. The idols are brought home and displayed in the Pandals on the 6th day of the festival. Flowers, sweets, jewelry and other items are added to the display.
As you can see from the photos, most of the sculptures feature just a few versions of the Goddess Durga, with the most popular highlighting her as the goddess of war and the harbinger of good over evil. She is usually shown standing on her husband Shiva (accidentally or on purpose - maybe you get to choose) with her tongue sticking out (in shame for accidentally stepping on him? Or as punishment for his infidelity?)
She is usually sculpted nude with darker skin; with 4 arms and hands - 2 arms - usually her left ones - with a sword and a severed head; her 2 right hands appear to be blessing her devoted followers - with good triumphing over evil.
The Goddess' children are represented by animals: Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, scholarship and knowledge, is symbolized by the owl; Brahma by the swan; Ganesha, the mouse (or rat); and Kartikya, the peacock.
The tenth day, also known as Dashami, marks the Visarjan (immersion in water) of the idol with grand celebrations and processions. We will not be able to witness that since we will be in Bhutan tomorrow, but I am definitely enjoying the music and celebrations from my hotel room as I work to finish this entry!
Barbara--fascinating as always!!! I was in Calcutta in 1965 and your blog tells me it is time to go back. Manny
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