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This is an archive article published on September 25, 2009
Rhythm and Hues
Back in Japan ,where I come from,there used to be a festival of ornaments. It was a fair-like thing where ornaments were displayed,bought,gloated over
Written by EXPRESS FEATURES SERVICE
September 25, 2009 02:55 AM IST
3 min read
3 min read
The festival of our heart it might be,but Durga Puja also embraces those who are not technically a part of the city. Some are overwhelmed by it some take to it like fish to water. From today,we ask expats from across the world to pen down their Durga Puja experience. Today Akihiro Oikawa tells us why Puja was just waiting to happen to him
Back in Japan ,where I come from,there used to be a festival of ornaments. It was a fair-like thing where ornaments were displayed,bought,gloated over The first time I was in the city for a Durga Puja (in 2008),the riot of opulence that the festival was,made me feel like I was witnessing a similar phenomenon in magnified proportions. There were colours and lights in every corner of the city,at every turn of a road. Add to that the crowds brightly dressed,flashy ornaments et al thronging the pandals. It felt as if I was looking at the city through a kaleidoscope. And people were competing with each other in a show of opulence.
I was invited to a pandal last year near Vivekananda Park in south Kolkata. Their hospitality was heart-warming and I was surprised to see that the celebration accommodates arts from across the world. This particular pandal had a beautiful display of the Japanese art of origami. They made roses,fish by folding paper our way and they had also managed to create an elephant from paper.
However,the crowd and the traffic around this time becomes a little disconcerting. Theres a lot of sound and fire crackers for over a week. It becomes difficult to navigate the roads,there are so many traffic restrictions also. But I guess,all good things demand a bit of patience of you!
Last year I was also treated to a lot of sweets by my neighbours in Ballygunge. One of them was a yoghurt like thing,but very milky and sweet (payesh). This time around,I intend to visit a few more pandals and gorge on some more sweets.
Mr. Akihiro Oikawa is the Senior Vice Consul,Consulate General of Japan at Kolkata. He came to Kolkata in 2006.
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