Durga Pujo Pandal Hopping, Bangalore 2014
Bangalore today has 53(approx) Durga Pujas held by various associations across the city. The usual practice of Bengalis is having bhog (community lunch) in one of the pandals (association) and go pandal hopping (often done in the company of friends or family).Around a decade back I remember visiting 18 pandals in this city Bangalore. Today with the amount of traffic on roads it is difficult getting to the various corners of the city. Earlier it was a modest and homely affair in the pandals. Today the Bengali population has increased, city has expanded and more pandals have mushroomed. In the past few years corporate sponsorship has increased, with increased budget Pujo has now become a grand affair. Arrangements are elaborate and the parking lot at these places look more like an automobile exhibition. The food stalls at these pandals are forever crowded… that has to be, because: It is that time of the year when friends and relatives gather to catch up with gossips after a year long wait. All other aspects of life come to a standstill!
Traditional celebration is a rare sight!
Durga Pujo Pandal hopping in Bangalore
Here are some of the pictures of various pandals that I visited.
Koramangala Bengalee Association
Jaymahal Bengali association
Ulsoor Bengali Association
Brookefields Pujo
Assamese Bengali Association
Indiranagar Bengali Association
You can see my posts on Durga Puja here.
Beautiful pictures…reminds me of the time when as kids, we excitedly visited the Durga Puja celebrations near our house(we stayed near a famous durga temple).Thanks for sharing 🙂
Gorgeous!! Thanks for sharing!!
Fabulous and colourful, cheers Indrani.
So interesting and colorful! Very nice!
I like the ek chala thakur that the Ulsoor Association usually does. It's one of the handful of Bangalore pujas that does it.
Shubho Bijoya!
I'd like to see the sense of the crowds in photos too.
great work…
I was out of country for the entire Durga puja and missed most of the celebration. Thanks to your post, I can re-live some of them.
Thank you
Avinash
Thanks for sharing the awesome images of Durga Maata. The Bengali population in Bangalore must have multiplied many fold in these past few years.
Jai Durga Maa!! Excellent post..
Beautiful Clicks! 🙂 🙂
Very nice share Indrani. My pujo was so-so. Yet to share the pics. I agree when you say the traditional aspect of Pujo is missing nowadays. Great pics.
Lovely Pictures
Wonderful post Indrani … Really good pictures 🙂
I lived in Bangalore for 6 years …. These pictures making me nostalgic. …..
Gud clicks!!! missing Assam Pandals of durga puja
Reminded of the days when I used to go visiting pandals in Shillong during the season.
what a wonderful celebration. Your photos are marvelous. I would find the food stalls to be very tempting.
I have been to Koramangala and Assamese Society Pandal this time and just loved them and I guess you visited lots of Pandals.. 😀
Sounds like fun but you would put a lot of weight on
wowwww indrani …loved ur post ,a virtual pandal hopping for me this tym 🙁
It's a lavish affair! Great job by you – of bringing out the pictures!
First time hearing about Pandal Hopping… Beautiful photos from the various pandals! Hope u had good time visiting those
Marvelous photos and I love hearing about these celebrations. Thank you so much!
Great photos and informative post!
Good that u could find some Durga pandals here in Bangalore. I knw they r nowhere in comparison with the pandals u find in calcutta,have visited the durga pandals once in calcutta.But ok atleast ul feel the festive air.
Wonderful shots !These pandals look attractive.Even,the artists from Kolkata are in much demand for making these Pandals.
Lovely shots!
beautiful decorations
thanks for series of photos
this is all so very interesting.
The first one with the red backdrop looks great.
Truly Beautiful photos of Durga Puja.Thanks a lot for your post.
You had visited 18 pandals a an evening a decade back.In 80's I have visited countless pandals walking all the way in South Kolkata roads.You never feel tired and each pandal is unique in its decoration and idols.There was the bonhomie,joy and care free abandon among the devotees.I used to watch and listen to drum beats and the captivating arti amidst the noisy cymbals.
Puja is great because it is a community one,a collective effor of the dedicated youngsters with support from elders.
The pandals look beautiful, sounds like a fun celebration! Lovely photos!
Fascinating and how colorful and beautiful!! Terrific captures and fascinating information as always, Indrani! Thank you for sharing! Hope you have a great week!
It's always good to see friends and family and catch up with each other. 😉
Welcome Indari!
Wonderful post and fantastic pictures.
Ravished me this post …
I send greetings from distant Polish.
Lucia
beautiful!
Wonderful custom!
Aloha