Lakshmipat Singhania Academy
Artwork
From the eyes of a 7-year-old
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One of the reasons that the City of Joy earns its name from the myriad Durga Puja celebrations dotting every corner of the city.
As far as kids are concerned the highlight of Durga Puja is no doubt visiting the many different pandals, each with a unique theme or decorative style with gorgeously ornamented clay idols of Goddess Durga, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Lord Kartikeya, and Ganesha. In the evenings, the streets of Kolkata are filled with people, who come to admire the pandals and statues of Goddess Durga.
The Durga Puja festival is an extremely social and theatrical event. Drama, dance, and cultural performances are widely held. The festival is accompanied by enormous fairs that come alive with numerous people, light, music and sound. These fairs become a perfect place to unite and connect with people of all social backgrounds, castes, creed and religion. Food is a huge part of the festival as street stalls blossom all over Kolkata. There are many stalls of games like balloon shoot, Spin the Wheel etc for people to play and try their luck. All the stalls are beautifully decorated. The rides like Ferris Wheel, Carousel etc are enjoyed by kids as well as adults.
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Amogh Rathi
Class II
Amogh Rathi
Class - II
My Letter to Goddess Durga
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Oh Goddess! Nobody can reach your place,
Help us make our planet a better place.
Help us become united,
And stay no longer divided,
Bless us to stay connected,
So that we can drive away this virus, defeated.
Please help the people on the streets,
Who have not had a decent meal.
No one but you can hear their silent pleas,
Take away their sorrow so that they can rejoice in glee.
Make their life full of love and fun,
With this request, my letter is now done.
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Anushka Dua
Class - IV
Anushka Dua
Class - IV
Drawing in progress
Tarasha Sharma
Class - VI
This drawing is all about the festival of Durga Puja, the festival of Bengal. The drawing was made with many small detailing like the saaj, the saree and the jewellery in this drawing Maa Durga is wearing a colourful saree with white and black detailing. Durga Maa has ten hands and she is holding her 10 weapons. Durga Maa is identified as the principal hindu goddess of war, strength and protection .the legend centres around combating evils and demonic forces that threatens peace, prosperity, and dharma, the power of good over evil. Durga maa is also a fierce form of the protective mother goddess. Maa Durga sits on her sher(lion)which is known as her vaahan.
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Tarasha Sharma
Class- VI
I like sholar shaj on durga, as it is traditional, and the complete white decoration looks very elegant. I have used thermocol instead of shola. I have seen shola workshop happening in school in spicmacay, but right now couldn't arrange all the necessary things to try my hand on that.
Shola Work
Arijit Ghosh
Class - IX
My drawing is all about - how a group of friends who are teenagers, get fascinated and celebrate durga puja in the best way they can. They get excited and love to do all kind of traditional stuff.
Aarav Jhawar
Class - IX
This year Durga Puja was celebrated with a difference to make people understand the importance of this celebration taking all safety measures and avoid contamination of the deadly virus Covid-19.
The students of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy tried to convey the messages of safety through a video in a creative way to be followed during this celebration.
According to them this year Maa has arrived with 9 new messages for all her devotees. They are:
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Stay home to stay safe
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Enjoy family bonding that gives the greatest joy
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Eat green vegetables to stay healthy
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Indulge yourself into regular physical activities and meditate
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Pursue your hobbies and discover yourself in a new way
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Take precautions while going out in public places
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Maintain social distancing
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Follow cleanliness and hygiene
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Appreciate women at home
Devansh Dalmia
Class - III
The Essence of Durga puja from the eyes of a woman
Ms Sharmita Bhattacharya (Teacher)
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Sindur Khela symbolizes the power of womanhood in protecting her husband and children from all evil. Through the ritual of Sindur Khela, the Bengali Hindu women pray for long and happy married lives of each other. Family tiffs and petty quarrels between neighbours are settled through this ritual. Unmarried women and widows are barred from participating in the ritual, but a recent campaign by the Calcutta Times has revived the practice of just women - be it married, widowed, transgender individuals or women of the red-light area, to play with Sindoor to show that this is a universal bonding for all women, all sisters and not restricted only to married women. An important way to show Connect and Unite.
In some parts of West Bengal, Sindur Khela is celebrated before Vijayadashami. In Dubrajpur, the Sindur Khela is celebrated on Mahasaptami itself. After bathing the nabapatrika and the following ritual worship, sindur is applied on the forehead of the goddess. After that the married women engaged in Sindur Khela. In the village of Bijra near Memari in Purba Bardhaman district, the family pujas of Ghosh and Bose family celebrate Sindur Khela on Mahastami. The tradition is almost 500 years old. After the ritual worship on Mahastami, the entire married womenfolk of the village celebrate Sindur Khela. Many people from adjoining areas came to Bijra to see this ritual.