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Adorning the rich man’s courtyard while simultaneously finding a home in the poor man’s slums; hosted by a Brahmin priest and decked by a Muslim craftsman – Durga Puja magnificently diminishes differences in a reverential celebration where devotees stand united in their subservience to the Mother Goddess, writes Kaushikibrata Banerjee

From depicting the pain of child labour to touching upon the crisis of isolation in our modern world and further on to designing a grand structure on the lines of Padmaavat – Durga Puja 2018 is set to be a thrill for the many enthusiasts who anxiously wait for October to arrive, discusses Shayani Mukherjee

The pinnacle of Bengal's festive glory – Durga Puja has witnessed a frenzy of change in the last few decades. While the grandeur dazzles audiences across the globe, at home, a little bit of tradition is lost with each flip of the calender, explores Archishman Sarkar

The Bengal Tourism Department has come up with several exciting packages to help foreigners and localites experience the glitz and glory of Durga Puja. Soumitra Nandi discusses the various trips on offer – each packed with exciting locations and lip-smacking food

Tucked miles away from their homes are our policemen, civic volunteers, hospital staff, firefighters and members of the emergency services who are especially dedicated to their call of duty during Durga Puja. These “men in uniform” make the mega festival more exciting, enjoyable and most importantly safer, for us. Pritesh Basu writes about how these bravehearts carry on with their duties, unperturbed

During the four days of this carnival known as Durga Puja, the itinerant Bengali mind finds supreme solace in appealing compositions, exhilarating movies and mouthwatering delights. Tarun Goswami, taking note of this inclination, writes on where and what to look for this autumn

With a number of celebrities including football stars to Bollywood personalities visiting Kolkata's famous pandals every year, Saurajit Mazumdar explores whether they are actually crowd-pullers for whom people throng the Pujas in huge numbers.

It’s not only the enjoyment and merrymaking that counts during the Durgotsav every year but it is also the tremendous responsibility of the administration and the police to maintain safety and security throughout the state during this time of the year. Pritesh Basu talks about their preparedness involved to make Durga Puja a grand success, year after year.

The excitement is building up and so is the enthusiasm. The countdown to Bengal’s biggest festival has already begun. Nandini Guha sneak peeks into the meticulously-curated pandals and idols waiting to be thrown open, including the latest theme-based ones along with the vintage, iconic Durga Pujas.

From bhoger khichuri, which is impossible to replicate at any other time, to chaats and ghoti gorom, from roadside phuchkas to long restaurant queues, it’s all happening again with impeccable enthusiasm coupled with dollops of nostalgia, writes Pradip Chatterjee.

Shayani Mukherjee writes how Pujas in Salt Lake and New Town secure the community spirit by involving block members in ritual executions and organising meals, making it a personalised affair.

Utsav Basu analyses the history of Durga Puja in Bengal — how it began and how it eventually evolved as the biggest carnival of the state.