Happy Mahavira Jayanti !!

"Pixelated Memories" wishes all readers a very happy Mahavira Jayanti. May you prosper and be safe and happy!

Troika Park, Durgapur

Having travelled by now through several districts of Bengal, I can state with confidence that Durgapur is by far one of the most developed cities in the state – the city can offer several options for entertainment of kids & adults as well as for fine dining & satiating the shopping urge – there is Benachity & malls like Junction & Suhatta for shopping, restaurants like Lemon Grass & City Residency for fine dining experience, bars like Aqualounge & High Octane for the occasional alcohol/hookah splurge, cheap eating options at Panthashala & Dosa Plaza & measures for family/friend get together & amusement at the Barrage & Troika Park (one or the other facility is always lacking in all the districts in Bengal, except of course Calcutta, that I have been to).

Inside Troika

Not all tourist/cultural spots are as soothing as the famed Ram Temple of Bidhan Nagar; some might actually be a waste of time & effort as is the case of Kumar Mangalam Park (KMP) near City Centre – but the Troika Park (aka Anand Amusement Park) in the City Centre area (actually behind the city centre bus stop) is a great case example where a few joy rides & eating options have been thrown in together to create an amusement park that can offer several fun-filled options to the entertainment-starved population of the city. Unlike KMP, the rush of families & children to the park in the evening hours has prevented Troika Park from being overrun by couples. There is also a small but well-maintained church next to the park – it is the haunt of a very friendly feline who doesn’t mind jumping onto the laps of visitors (if it were not for this cat, I would have observed the church features more closely). The park boasts of a toy train, carriage rides, boating facilities & small enclosures where rabbits are housed for the amusement of toddlers, along with several outlets retailing fast food & soft drinks (at slightly above the market price).

Furry!!

Of all the rides, perhaps the toy train is the most boring even though it takes one along a tour of the vast complex; however with nothing attractive to see along the entire route leaves one with no option but to chat up with the friends you are with. In my opinion, the boat rides were the most entertaining – a 2/4-seater boat can be hired for Rs 30 for 10 min (but since the people manning the boat station have their hands full, a boat ride can easily be extended to 25-30 min without their notice) – the boat ride gives excellent opportunity to indulge in some light banter, gossip & reminiscences (or to nudge into other boats just for the sake of it!). 

Sunset on the lake

Looking at all the families that were out enjoying themselves in the sun, Troika reminded me of the huge Badhkal Lake (now dried though!) close to my home in Delhi which we used to visit as kids as part of family picnics on Republic & Independence days. Recently, a water park was added to the park – I doubt if I’ll be able to visit the park again, given am still unable to use my left arm & have been advised utmost precaution & my college life comes to an end in another 3 months. But I do fondly wish to visit the place with all my close friends & would also recommend a visit to all those who are in Durgapur for even a few days (special advice to those joining NIT (my alma mater) or Durgapur Steel Plant – after all there isn’t much else to see in the city, is there??)

New additions (Photo courtesy - Facebook.com/www.durgapurcity.co.in)

Location: Near City Center Bus Stand

How to reach: Buses are available from different parts of the city for City Center.

Entrance fees: Rs 20 (Tickets for the rides to be bought from the counter next to the ride)

Photography/Video Charges: Nil

Relevant Links - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Damodar River Barrage
2. Pixelated Memories - Kshitish's Durgapur
3. Pixelated Memories - Kumar Mangalam Park
4. Pixelated Memories - Ram Temple

Kumar Mangalam Park, Durgapur

Among the famous attractions in Durgapur is a large park popularly known as Mohan Kumar Mangalam (MKM) Park. Christened after M.K. Mangalam, the first Steel Minister of India, it was commissioned by Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP), a vast industrial complex that is the core of Durgapur’s livelihood & industry & employs a large proportion of the population here. A popular lover’s spot, the park boasts of a small lake for boating purposes, well-maintained lawns, a toy train giving a ride of the entire estate & even a musical fountain. The park becomes the site for festivities & frolic on the occasion of Holi, Chath Puja etc when people gather in hordes to perform pujas (ceremonial prayers), distribute food & sweets, meet friends & enjoy the gaiety.

There exist two entrances to the park, both of which are used for entry as well as exit. Ticket counters exist at both the entrances, & if you ask me, these entrances are the most beautiful part of the entire park complex. Each entrance is shaped like a horse-shoe, the opening of which faces the street outside, & in the curved wall are two separate openings from where the visitors enter & exit the park. The hut-like ticket counters are situated at the opening in the horse-shoe curve & sleepy security guards keep a drowsy watch over the proceedings. As I mentioned, the entrances are picturesque – the first has a large bronze statue of Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu God of luck & beginnings, dancing & playing cymbals with a fierce (aggressive??) expression on his face. The sand-brown colored horse-shoe wall around the statue is embossed with human figurines – kids playing on swings, families picnicking, people going around in miniature trains & boats – giving an indication of what entertainments wait inside.

The Ganesha idol

The other entrance’s curved wall displays traditional dances that are performed in the various states of India. Not sure if the rest of the park would live up to our expectations (I had been living in Durgapur for almost 2 years then & what glitters here is never gold!!), I spent 15 minutes photographing the latter entrance (that’s where we entered from since it is close to our college). 

One of the panels at the first entrance

Inside, the park, though well-maintained, reeks of ignorance & waste. Calling it “boring” would be an understatement – more than half of the 80-acre park remains out of bounds for visitors, the fountains & the toy train were out of order, in the name of swings is a little merry-go-round & a small maze, the refreshments shop is criminally expensive. Owing to some constraints, DSP itself could not continue with the maintenance of the park & in the year 2006 leased it out to a private firm known as EXALT SERVICES Pvt. Ltd. It seems the people at EXALT are not taking their job that seriously & are simply cashing in on the fact that the population of Durgapur does not have many other options for entertainment & family get-togethers. EXALT has actually given a list of initiatives they took to improve the park’s ambiance here - EXALT - Development Done. Though I did not see much of what they are talking about despite visiting the place 7 years after they took over the park from DSP. 

Out-of-order!!

The park caretakers had difficulty comprehending both English & Hindi & their attitude bordered on rude, & the guards at the second entrance asked us to buy a second set of tickets only because we had stepped out to photograph the Ganesha idol & that too when they saw us exclaim about the statue & go round it under their watchful supervision. There were no kids in the park, the rides were all empty. However almost every bench & every boat was occupied by couples, even the space under the trees & behind the bushes wasn’t spared. It was “bees & birds” all around. With not a single bench vacant for us to sit upon, we had all the more of an excuse to go out as quickly as we could – Mr Guard you can keep your stupid tickets!! The place is in fact a good enough spot for those couples who want to get together & cuddle & kiss, & it is also a good spot for those who are frustrated & single & go about looking at all the other couples smooch – sadly, I fall into neither of the two categories. So goodbye KMP Park, I am never coming here again. Thanks, but no thanks, for your rudeness & ignorance.

This is what we expected..

Disclaimer – Perhaps our experience was a one-off incident, perhaps the caretakers & guards had a rough day at work & are usually cordial with the visitors, & also perhaps the place isn’t as boring as I felt – but I have the right to put forward my views & do hope that the EXALT Group &/or the inhabitants of Durgapur do not send me lots of hate mail. Or sue me!!
(The last time I wrote about Durgapur, some people did get very angry & I had to deal with their choice words even though I did not write anything as critical as this article.)

Sigh! No kids here!

Location: At walking distance from the National Institute of Technology (or R.E. College as the people here know it).

How to reach: Buses, autos & taxis are available from different parts of the city. One can also walk from the City Center.

Entrance Fees: Rs 10 per person

Photography Charges: Rs 10

Video Charges: Rs 25

Relevant Links about Durgapur - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Damodar River Barrage
2. Pixelated Memories - Kali Puja, Durgapur
3. Pixelated Memories - Kshitish's Durgapur
4. Pixelated Memories - Ram Temple

Kali Puja, Durgapur

Today is Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights & crackers. It is believed that on this day, King Rama returned to his kingdom in Ayodhya (in modern day Uttar Pradesh) after spending 14 years in exile in the various forests of the country, & since it was a (dark) new moon night, the people of Ayodhya welcomed him by lighting lamps at their doorsteps & terraces & boundary walls, & at all those places where they could place a lamp. Hindus believe Rama to be an ideal human being – epitomising the qualities of “Dharma” (literally “religion”, but actually meaning “a way of life”), & of course he is also considered by many as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the Hindu God of life & preservation. During his exile, which was a result of a plot by his step-mother Kekeyi who wanted to place her own son Bharata on the throne of Ayodhya, Rama travelled as far as Lanka (which is supposedly the modern island of Sri Lanka) to free his wife Sita who was treacherously kidnapped & imprisoned in a garden-orchard by Ravana, the lord of Lanka, often believed to be an embodiment of evil itself & portrayed with ten heads & ridiculously large moustaches. As I had promised in the “Navaratris” post (refer Pixelated Memories - Navaratris if you still don't know what Navaratris are, or just to see the photographs), I shall be covering more of festivities & celebrations in this blog. However this post is not about Diwali – sadly, once again I am struck in Durgapur where Diwali is not celebrated with as much gaiety as North India. Instead, Bengalis celebrate Kali Puja (“Puja” = "worship") on the day of Diwali. Huge pandals (tents made after covering humongous bamboo scaffoldings with cloth & other decorative material) are set up according to a pre-decided theme, wherein an idol of Goddess Kali is housed. Visitors come & go, each one with hands folded & heads bowed reverentially in front of the idol. The pandal theme usually shows one or the other cultural &/or traditional aspect, sometimes seemingly bizarre, for instance I have seen pandals made with jute & coir to promote the local cottage industry, & I have also seen pandals designed to look like the Egyptian Sphinx, complete with varied hieroglyphics & housing a Kali idol where the treasure was supposed to be!!

Pandal - Benachity Market, Durgapur, 2012

While in the rest of the country, Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of wealth & prosperity, & a sister of Kali, is worshipped, Bengalis worship Kali – the dark skinned Goddess of death & destruction, often considered to be an embodiment of time itself. Kali is the consort of Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of death, & while Shiva himself wears serpents as his neckpieces, Kali wears a necklace made out of severed demonic heads, her tongue jutting out of her mouth thirsting for blood, & her swords & scimitars flashing their sharp blades. She is the annihilator of evil forces, who runs around naked, killing demons & wrongdoers in her wake, & consuming everything around herself like an ever-growing fire. The image of Kali is a fierce one, several of my friends avoid going to even the famous Kali temples (such as Kalighat, Calcutta, refer Pixelated Memories - Kalighat) & idol-making workshops since they are terrified of these images. But not me!! A day before Diwali, & we (that is, me & my friends Kshitish & Aakash) find ourselves standing outside a workshop where Kali idols are made by skilled artisans in anticipation of this day.

The dark one

The workshop is in Benachity, which is a large market place in the heart of Durgapur (which literally means “the land of Durga”, Durga is another sister of Kali). We aren’t afraid of Kali – she is also the bestower of boons, a mother diety, who when appeased fulfils one’s desires & helps overcome all obstacles. She is also associated with sex, lust & tantra (which has come to be associated only with Black Magic & Voodoo, but is also the appeasement of Goddess for financial & health gains, as well as attainment of “Moksha” – independence from worldly shackles & bonds & an inculcation into the “Supreme Being”). Tantra also considers Kali as the primordial deity, who devours everything, even the Gods themselves, at the end of creation. She is Shakti, the bestower of strength & power.

Naked divinity

Kali Puja is one of the foremost festivals in Bengal, & idol-making is a big business here (just like effigy-making is in Tatarpur, see Pixelated Memories - Ravana making in Tatarpur, New Delhi ), with the entire families helping out in the process – which begins with accumulating the proper kind of soil & sand to create the idol’s framework, & includes the designing of frame, painting it in vivid colours, & decking it up with beads, decorative accessories & cloth in dazzling shades. The artists who make these idols are skilled & design these idols in a uniform manner, but with varying colours & an assortment of forms – so there are idols varying in size from 3-30 feet, coloured blue, black, or cream & covered with white, red, or yellow tiaras. Kali is usually shown naked in order to show her transcending the boundaries of consciousness by not covering her femininity, however since many patrons prefer not to take the naked Goddess home, there are even versions covered with beautiful transparent cloth – in shocking red, white & greens.

Spoiled for choice!!

The idols at times do look scary indeed, the blood-red tongues darting out of the black & blue faces, the three eyes, the dishevelled hair, the large headgear shining in the little rays of light that are able to enter the dingy & dark workshops, the waist girdle made with severed hands of dead men, & the neck pendants made of evil-looking heads. Often the Goddess is shown carrying skulls & thigh bones, rather than swords & battle axes, making her even more ferocious. But then, always her two right hands are shown showering blessings & favour on devotees & easing their pain & terror at her appearance.

Is she on our side??

The workshop in Benachity belonged to one Shambo Das, who claimed to be an idol-artist for the past 25 years & believed the Goddess is a harbinger of good luck to him. A modest man, who wanted us to tour the idol-workshops of Calcutta & the rest of Durgapur, before calling his idols stunning, he allowed me to take as many photographs as I wanted to. Here there were even idols of Durga, Shiva, Ganesh (Shiva-Durga’s son, the elephant-headed, pot-bellied God of wisdom, beginnings & goodluck), Ganas (the followers of Shiva, shown as short & stubby men with large tummies & cute expressions) – to portray the entire family of Kali. Of course they forgot that Kali had 8 more sisters (some say they are all incarnations of one another – Bhavani, Gauri, Rajeshwari, etc).

All in the family!!

Then there is the prostrate Shiva who lies under Kali’s feet like a mattress, the snakes clinging to his body flinging violently, their aggressive expressions in contrast to Shiva’s calm & soothing face. According to one myth, when Kali was invoked in the war against the demon Raktabija (literally “Blood-seed”, each drop of blood from his body could assume a new demonic form), she appeared in her wild form & drank all of Raktabija’s blood in order to prevent him from producing more duplicates. But she did not stop after slaying him, but went on destroying friends & foes alike who stood in her path, severing their heads, mutilating their bodies & feasting on their blood & flesh. Soon the balance of the world was disturbed by her destructive activities & ruthlessness, & Lord Shiva was invoked to soothe her. Unable to avail of any method to prevent her from more killing & torture, Shiva went & lay at Kali’s feet, immediately calming her. Since then she is shown standing upon her husband’s body & also to this day, meat & spirits are offered instead of the usual sweets at her temple. Kali Puja sees the sacrifice of numerous goats, buffaloes & fowl at the temples & community prayer grounds. Bells are rung, mantras (invocations) chanted, the idols are smeared in vermilion & devotees pray all night long to appease the Goddess. Kali dominates the Tantric texts & iconography, & the Tantriks & Siddhas (followers of Tantra & devotees of Kali) take special pleasure in celebrating Kali Puja – slaughtering goats to propitiate the Goddess’s anger & to win her favour. They decorate their houses with skulls – not just human, but animal alike, & often partake of blood themself. The Tantriks believe in facing Kali in the cremation ground, her home turf, to overcome all fear of her & to be able to look at her like a mother, a source of infinite power & energy. But in non-Tantrik Bengali households, feasts are held, that include a multi-course dinner ending with the delectable Rasogulla. But almost everywhere, the Goddess is offered pure wine (“Soma ras”/”Madira”) which is said to find special favour with her.

& here is another one!!

Before I end this post, I have to tell you about the pandals – they are just awesome, & reflect the creativity of the people who envision them & the skill of the artists who craft them out of seemingly simple material. With nimble limbs, the workers rapidly climb up bamboo poles & scaffolding to cover & decorate them. & decorate they do with much gusto – the simple yet intricate designs reflect their passion & reverence for the Goddess. People visit these pandals from far & near, special prayers are organized here & one can even spot women uttering strange shrieks – said to be Kali’s battle cry, & supposed to bring fertility to women – shrill & fierce, these cries add a fearsome gusto to the proceedings. Musicians playing “Dhak” (large drums fitted with feathers & leaves) reach a crescendo with the prayers & the dance. Wafts of incense travel far to pull one & all to the pandals. & of course, there are beautiful girls in traditional attires to talk to!! 

Seated in a pandal

It is interesting to note that Kali finds little, if any, mention in the ancient Hindu texts, & the festival of Kali Puja came to be celebrated in Bengal only after Maharaja Krishna Chandra (a fief holder of Bengal) popularised it in 18th century & expected the people in his domain to organize it with much fanfare. Before that the Puja was celebrated at a very small scale every year in certain localized areas of Bengal. Later, Krishna Chandra’s grandson Ishwar Chand along with the other landlords began patronizing the Puja, & this influx of money & resources ensured that Kali Puja took enormous proportions & became one of the main festivals of the Bengali community. The Puja is today organized in almost all parts of the country & abroad – wherever a sizeable Bengali community has settled. Also it has become much more inclusive than before, so in addition to the worship to Kali, many pandals also organize large fairs complete with miniature Ferris wheels & food & sweet stalls to provide something for the Non-Bengalis & the kids.

Just felt like posting another pic!!

The Puja goes on all night, & also intermittently on the next two days. On the third day after Kali Puja, the idols are immersed in a stream of flowing water, usually the sea or a river. The Goddess waits in the infinite abyss, waiting for her insurrection the next year, thirsting for fresh blood all that while.

When : Kali Puja coincides with Diwali & falls on Kartik Amavasya (Kartik is a winter month in the traditional Hindu calendar, while Amavasya refers to the new moon night). Usually in late October - early November.

Where : Throughout Bengal.

Relevant Links - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Kalighat Temple, Calcutta
2. Pixelated Memories - Navaratris
3. Pixelated Memories - Ravana making in Tatarpur, New Delhi

Damodar River Barrage, Durgapur

Perhaps the only place in Durgapur that can be both disappointing & entertaining at the same time, the Barrage is one of those few places in the city that I have visited several times & will perhaps continue to do so in the near future. The times spent at the Barrage can be considered bitter-sweet experiences – at times I had great fun & enjoyed myself to the hilt, at times it was boring being there with nothing to do except gandering around – either case it is the company of friends that made the experience awesome or shitty. The Barrage, like the rest of Durgapur is not very mesmerizing, or visit-worthy on its own – however the open spaces it affords at certain times of the year, along with the people you get to meet in its immediate vicinity, certainly make it one of the best tourist-spots in the city, despite the fact that there isn’t much to see here – just a medium-sized reservoir to restrict the flow of (not so mighty) Damodar river. Infact the Barrage, though officially controlled by Damodar River Valley Corporation that builds dams & produces electricity, is actually regulated by the West Bengal Government. May be that is the reason why the dam hasn’t been maintained properly & its landscaping & tourism potential allowed to go down the proverbial sink.

Durgapur Barrage

On either side of the Barrage are large basins where water flows through, & at times when the sluice gates have been closed for some considerable time (for flood control & irrigation purposes) & one side of the Barrage is devoid of much water flow, the basin on that side dries up to reveal layers upon layers of sand – dry & patterned by the movement of waves that passed over it, & inscribed with shoe (& foot) prints of people who take to these “newly formed” grounds like fish to water. & that is the best time to visit the Barrage – you can run in the sand (though it will fill your shoes & you won’t be able to run fast because of the sinking effect), you can take photographs – especially of the structure as it starts glowing up at dusk, or of the people – you can get some interesting silhouettes with the setting sun as the background, or you can simply wander around, adoring the entire built structure.

Sands of time..

The sluice gates are large & the stones that flank them have been rounded & given a semi ziggurat-like appearance. Since the Barrage was built way back in 1955, the stones do show signs of decay & erosion, & at some spots they have been too blackened with who-knows-what accumulating on the surface for so many years. The Barrage doubles up as a bridge with heavy vehicular flow at almost all times of the day, & when the water flows underneath, you can observe reflections of the vehicles & their headlights – not such a great scene either, but then who told you to come to boring Durgapur, eh?? From the top of the structure or the adjoining roads, one can also observe the fast flow of the river & the eddys formed in the water. More often than not, the flow appears dangerous & one tends to shirk back with apprehensions of falling over.

“Did you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real, and you're just a reflection of him?” (Bill Watterson)

Also when the reservoirs are full, policemen tend to prevent people from going down the bridge (large stairs & rock-&-sand make up the walls of the basin) as many people often tend to fall in the waters due to recklessness. I have been told many have died here too. Spooky right?? To think I was walking over the same river floor some days back!! Vendors line the small kiosks that have been built on either side of the Barrage, selling roasted corn cobs, phuchkas, ice creams (not the real ones though, these were mostly flavored water with who-knows-what added to impart an odd graininess) & jhal muri. Some families with little kids always kept the vendors busy, buying one eatable or the other. When the Barrage is full with gushing waters, one can spot local men with fishing rods sitting on the rocky edges of the basin, some sold what they caught nearby, others carried their catch home. Either way I had fun photographing these fishermen & fish-sellers. When the Barrage is almost empty, the same men can be seen with their fishing rods in small boats in the middle of the small streams emanating from the Barrage gaps. OK, I agree the streams aren’t that small either – after all boats ply over them – but they aren’t so large either, just some deep pools accumulated here & there.

Lets catch some fish!!

A visit to the Barrage can at times turn into an exhilarating joy ride – for instance the last time I visited the Barrage with some friends, we had no knowledge that there are no facilities for public transport near the Barrage at night (err..that is Durgapur night, 6 pm in the evening!!), & since it was already 7 & we let the last bus go as it was overcrowded (we did not know it would be the last bus either) we had to walk a considerable distance after which we were able to flag a passing taxi & somehow some seven people & a driver squeezed into a car!! But it was more or less fun, walking down a road without any streetlights & no barricades separating us from the gushing waters of a canal that parted from the Barrage & flowed perpendicular to it. The sound of fast flowing water & occasional croaks of frogs was music to our ears.

I wish I too could fly!!

Also by overcrowded buses around the Barrage, I mean way too overcrowded buses, with as many people sitting on the roof of the bus as inside it - & then there are those who keep standing in the bus – I mean it doesn’t even look humane, but then that’s how Durgapur (& the rest of India in extension) is. I read on the internet that the Barrage is also home to several species of colorful birds & the Govt. is considering a special “wildlife sanctuary” status for it – sadly I have to debunk this supposed “fact” – I have so far been unable to spot any especially different or beautiful bird around the Barrage despite being there several times at different times of the day & in different seasons too. May be they did not like me flashing a camera around – another supposed “fact” is that photography is not allowed the Barrage – there wasn’t anyone to stop me, or my friends, from taking pictures of or around the Barrage. In fact, the last time I was there, some of my friends agreed to do a bit of modelling (to be honest, just some poses) for me, & despite the presence of a few policemen, no one stopped us from taking any pictures. Whatever it may be like, I am awaiting my next trip to Barrage with friends – for more photography & modelling of course, but this time around we will visit the place in the afternoon & stay there till night (Durgapur night I mean!!). It ought to be fun.

Clicked it when I myself was sitting on the roof of another bus!!

Open : All days, Sunrise to Sunset

How to reach : Taxis & buses can be availed from different parts of the city. However the public transport systems can't be trusted for showing up after 7 p.m.

Entrance fee : Nil

Photography/Video Charges : Nil (Though it has been claimed that photography/video making is prohibited here, but I was never stopped from taking any photos.)

Time required for sightseeing : Although you can recce the entire area in 45 minutes, you are free to stay as long as you wish to.

Ram Temple, Durgapur

On the behest of some friends, I finally decided to write a series about the religious & tourist spots in Durgapur, the city where I am currently living – one of the sleepy semi-urban cities that dot the entire Indian landscape, in fact it can be said that Durgapur is an analogy for the rest of the country – underdeveloped, poor & mostly illiterate. The posts about Durgapur were due for a long, long time, I have been living here for almost two & a half years. Although the city boasts of a large Government-administered steel plant (one of the largest & most advanced in the entire country), it has nothing else to show for (except perhaps the college I am studying in, National Institute of Technology, as mentioned in one of the earlier posts). To be honest, I do not like living in Durgapur – to a Delhite, the entire city appears to be like a village, or rather, a civilized forest, even though it is one of the most developed city of Bengal. Except for 5-6 spots that tourists & locals frequent, there are no other options for sight-seeing in Durgapur.

In my opinion, Ram Mandir (“Mandir” is temple in Hindi/Bangla) is one of the most beautiful places in the entire city. Located far away from the central part of the city & reached through a series of roads & alleys (many pot-holed, others lacking proper street-lightning, & almost all interspersed with speed-breakers that guarantee a roller-coaster ride), the temple is set in a large garden. Its pillared hall, large bells & exquisite stone carvings on its white marble walls appears mesmerizing. A lone guard looks after the premises, sitting next to the entrance gate & the rack where the visitors have to remove their footwear & socks. At the far end corner of the rack are taps to wash one’s hands & feet after removing the shoes. Several trees & grassy grounds flank the pathway leading to the temple. Tall lamp posts throw light on the temple & its immediate surroundings. The temple stands on a high pedestal, led to by milky-white stairs, its roof surmounted by several pyramids, each pyramid is further decorated by triangular protrusions. The design & grace of the temple speaking for the belief & reverence of the artists & laborers who carved it.

The Ram Mandir

Four priests administer the prayers – all of them tall, well-built & extremely handsome, with massive, trimmed moustaches, beards & sideburns. The prayers were just starting up when we reached the temple – the prayers were a heavenly experience, with the mantras (invocative chants) resounding from ancient scriptures. The sanctum was small, bathed in reddish light from small incandescent bulbs, there were idols of King Rama & his wife Sita (Rama - a Hindu king, believed to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the Hindu God of preservation & life). A small idol of Hanuman (the monkey God, a follower of Rama) stood reverentially near their feet. A board next to the sanctum decreed that photography is not allowed.

The sanctum ( I have been told it has never been photographed before!!)

I asked the junior priests, the ones who sat outside the sanctum singing prayers for permission to take photographs, but they directed me to the head priest, the one who performed the ritualistic acts inside the sanctum. The head priest was an old man, with a balding head & a tuft of long hairs on the back of his head (called “Choti”), yet strong & well built. While he presided over the prayers, I strolled around in the gardens, taking photographs from various angles & perspectives, while also listening to the invocations & bell-ringing.

Another view..

At the end of the prayers, the head-priest was surrounded by devotees who crowded around him for blessings & “Prasad” (ceremonial offerings of sweets & sugar nibbles to the Gods, distributed to the devotees after the prayers). A polite & soft-spoken man, he quickly granted permission to photograph the sanctum, & then started talking on his mobile phone in a corner.

I could not find any details of the temple or its construction on the internet, nor did the friends who accompanied me to the temple know much about it. However after several hours of internet searching, I did stumble on the fact that the temple is owned by the Goenka Group of industries, & the priests performing the prayers here are specially brought from Varanasi. Each group of priests stay here for a few months, a new group replacing them when they return.

Looking back..

Done with the photography & strolling around, we moved ahead, pleased that Durgapur too has at least one beautiful spot to boast of. Outside rows of vendors selling phuchka (crispy, round dumpling filled with spicy-sweet water), jhalmuri (puffed rice mixed with mustard oil, coriander, onion & spices) & egg rolls looked at us with eyes that seemed to ask why we weren’t feasting on their products. The vendors stood alone, sans any customers, so unlike the rest of Durgapur where people flock in hordes to the sellers of phuchkas & jhal.

How to reach : The temple is located in Bidhan Nagar. Buses & taxis can be availed from different parts of the city for reaching Bidhan Nagar.
Open : All days, Sunrise to sunset (Prefer visiting in the evening at around 6:30 p.m., in time for the evening prayers)
Entrance Fee : Nil
Photography/Video Charges : Nil. However photography is prohibited inside the temple complex.
Time required for sight seeing : 30 min

Kshitish's Durgapur

The last post I put on was shared from my cousin’s photo-blog & it’s been more than a week since I myself wrote anything. I haven’t grown lazy over the past few days (ok, a little bit), but the main reason to be blamed for this lack of activity is the internet connection at my college. We are provided with high-speed internet connectivity & LAN inter-connectivity & I spend my entire days surfing the internet for reading material & history stuff like an addict. Hence, the dereliction of duty towards this blog. Thursday was a holiday, it was celebrated as the Hindu God Krishna’s birthday throughout the country. Had I been back in Delhi I would have gone to the temple nearest to my house & taken photographs of the proceedings & celebration. But Janmashtami (as the occasion is called in Hindi) is not celebrated with the same pomp & gaiety in Bengal. Oh! How I miss Delhi!!

My friend Kshitish (who has become a fixture in this blog’s posts, in terms of new ideas & topics for photography) suggested we visit the nearby rural/semi-urban areas of Durgapur (that’s where my college is situated, some 3 hours from Calcutta). I was baffled – to a Delhiite, the entire Durgapur is semi-urban!! So we decided for a photo walk at 6 in the morning. Sadly neither of us woke up at the decided time & 4 hour later while brushing our teeth we were still discussing where to go. The sun was up high & it was getting real hot & sticky humid & we decided to convert the photo walk to a photo motorcycle ride (if there is any such thing). We borrowed a rickety motorcycle - that stopped more than it ran - from a friend (no names – he would flay us if we say anything about his bike) & off we were. Wandering here & there through parts of the city we had already seen, still confused about where to head. For the uninitiated, Durgapur is one of the most planned cities of the country, boasting of 2 national resources – the Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP as it is called) & your truly’s college (wonders of wonders!!). There are wide roads, boulevards, public parks – but the city planners could not change the rural nature of the township & there are no large malls (except one) or markets (again except one) or for that matter, any other spot of historical or national importance. So phut-phutting our way around, Kshitish decided that we should stop at a tea-shop & have some cigarettes & then continue from there on foot. From one tea-shop to other, we wandered & talked to people. Actually, Kshitish talked to people. I somehow could not open up to strangers as he does. & while he talked, I photographed birds. & dogs. & goats. & more birds. I am posting a picture I clicked (& we all liked) – the bird is called “Lali” in Hindi. I couldn't find its English nomenclature.

Lali Bird

At a small run-down tea-shop we met an old man selling lottery tickets. The guy used to work at DSP for more than 40 years & considers himself a “Sarkari Aadmi” (Government Official). He did indeed tell us that the lottery tickets are all sanctioned by the Sikkim Govt. & thanks to him several people had earned a lot of money. So Kshitish made him pose with a “V for Victory” sign to show his happiness over helping others rake in heaps of cash!!

The king-maker - Lottery ticket seller

The shop owner was a middle-aged lady with a pale face, jet-black hair & was very shy by nature. In fact Kshitish had to coax her to get a photograph clicked. & oh she was so jubilant when I showed her the photograph in my camera. Perhaps this was the first time she has been clicked. It should have been obvious to us, we are in Bengal, one of the poorest states of the country, where millions starve everyday & Calcutta boasts of Asia’s largest red-light district.

Lady in orange - Tea shop owner

Next we headed to a nearby temple, where I was handed dates as Prasad (offering) & allowed to click pictures of the beggars. The beggars too were very happy on being clicked, & wanted me to take more photographs of them while the priests tried to shoo me away. The beggars & truck drivers lying here & there seemed wasted with liquor & disease. It was very moving & I guess any sane person would have felt pangs of pain at the sight. Though most Indians have seen so much of poverty & deprivation that they have become numb to it & don’t even spare a second glance – leave alone some coins for the poor, or even sympathy!! The beggars did ask me for money when I was done & though several of the books & guides or even photography tutorials would tell you never to give money to beggars while in India, it is very difficult not to do so after seeing their horrible conditions & many-a-times, disfigured or amputated bodies.

Withered & wasted - A beggar

While I was at the temple (yes I was alone there & my poor communication skills made sure that the priest finally shouted me out of his premises – I sometimes feel like a foreigner in my own country!!) Kshitish went to a small school next door. While the entire country celebrated a vacation on Janmashtami, the kids & teachers had gathered at the Govt. funded school for the mid-day meal. It is a scheme started by the Govt. sometime back with the aim of providing nutrition to the poor & needy children & decrease the school dropout rates by providing free food to all kids who have enrolled themselves in the educational institutions. Besides this the scheme has also helped bring down the barriers of castes & religion in certain parts of the country by seating the kids together for meals without any distinction (special attention to “certain parts”). The kids were all the more eager to get themselves clicked & literally clambered all over me & Kshitish. It was so much exhilarating & at the slightest indication of a picture being clicked, they would all gather together in a tight group lest someone remained out of the photo.

The eyes say it all..

I could only take very few “portraits”, the rest are all more of group photos with everyone pushing everyone else to get in the frame. I was shoved & pulled & made to get down on my knees to show the photos to the kids & I actually enjoyed it (ok, one part of me was afraid that I would break the new camera!! My heart stopped pounding every time someone took the camera from my hands!!). But the kids looked so innocent & cute & their eyes sparkled to show signs of mischief, & the way they all laughed at each other’s photos (or may be at my photography) was so refreshing, & their curiosity heart-warming. Half an hour later, I had to literally shake all the little ones off myself in order to get up. We didn’t want to leave, & the kids too didn’t want us to leave, but the school was in progress & though the teachers had been so very cooperative with us, we didn’t want to waste the class hours & left again on the phut-phut motorbike which roars when starting. The kids all ran out to the front porch of the one-room school to bid us farewell & their “byes” could be heard even though we had covered some distance between ourselves.

Sparkling white - One of the kiddos

It has started to drizzle softly & we were enjoying the sudden change in weather (Durgapur is like that only – one minute sunny, the next it’s raining) & the cool breeze, & decided to head back home. In one of the alleys, we saw a small structure composed of stitched cane & woven bamboo, kind of like a glorified hut. Several young men had assembled there for a friendly match of carom in the amazing weather & over shared cigarettes & discussions about college life, we took several shots of the players & their endless games.

Let the games begin..

Returning to the college, I began thinking that Durgapur is a much better place then I used to think it was. Kshitish made me see a new, beautiful township full of beaming people eager to share their stories, happy in the confines of their own small worlds - contented might be the word to describe them – quick to form bonds over cups of steaming tea & cigarettes, ready to leave the tasks they have at hand to welcome you to their shops & schools. Perhaps this is the real India & I am actually a tourist in my own land. I have to see a lot now & waiting for the next Durgapur tour & have a feeling that I will miss Durgapur (& Bengal as a whole) a lot when I leave for Delhi for good.

It's not a Pokemon, you know..