Durga puja 2017: Take a look at these beautiful bonedi barir pujo in Kolkata

Durga Puja is one of the biggest festivals in Kolkata, and is celebrated with glorious abandon. The city waits for the goddess, with bated breath for days and finally as the days arrive alleys are lit up and streets are decorated as the it prepares itself to welcome its daughter. The five-day festivity is marked by pandal hopping, gorging on delicious food and indulging in the revelry that is Durga Puja. Though preparations take place throughout the year, the result of the hard work is exhibited in these five days. (Express Photo Partha Paul)

Durga Puja in Kolkata is both a community festival and also celebrated at certain households for more than 100 years. (Express Photo Partha Paul)

Jorasanko Daw bari in North Kolkata has been celebrating Durga Puja since 1840. (Express Photo Partha Paul)

The Daw family, one of the oldest in Kolkata, doesn’t believe in sarbajanin ( community)or parar pujo. In a city where antiquity is a relative concept measured in centuries, and nostalgia is made solid, the Daw family believes that the tradition must continue, virtually unchanged. (Express Photo Partha Paul)

Unlike parar pujos, tradition dictates everything in these households. (Express Photo Partha Paul)

The pujo begins with a ceremony called 'bodhon', on Shosthi, the sixth day of Navratri and first day f Durga Puja. (Express Photo Partha Paul)

Married women at the household decorate the idol. The goddess is adorned with gold jewellery and ornaments that have been part of the family for generations. (Express Photo Partha Paul)

Women of Belighata's Sircar bari adorn the Goddess Durga with gold jewellery on the first day of the Durga puja. (Express Photo Subham Dutta.)

Durga Puja at Beliaghata Sircar family is 125 years old. For all these years, they have stuck to traditions, with a few minute changes here and there to do some cost cutting. (Express Photo Subham Dutta.)

Married women decorate the idol with gold ornaments on Sashti. (Express Photo Subham Dutta.)

The day is marked by revelry and celebration. (Express Photo Subham Dutta.)

Families get together and pool in resources. While some old families have a trust, most rely on family members getting together and discussing how much money can be invested. Other pujas look for new themes, but the barir pujas stick to the more traditional Durga idols. (Express Photo Subham Dutta.)