Amazing Festivals

The greatest Bengali festival of the year is the Durga Puja (Durga is an incarnation of Kali, Kolkata's patron goddess). The pujas (homage; literally,"worship") take place over several days in September or October. Colorful, handmade Hindu idols, sometimes more than 20 feet tall, are moved in large processions through the streets for several hours before reaching the river and being. The rites and processions blend tradition with innovation; some idols even commemorate people such as recent flood victims or the film star of the moment.