SOME OF THE FESTIVALS OF WEST BENGAL
Introduction—name the important festivals of West Bengal—short description of Durga Puja, Idulfetar, Christmas. Importance of festivals—cementing cracks in social structure.
Notes
Festivals succeed one after another in West Bengal. The common Bengali saying "thirteen festivals in twelve months" is far from true. In fact, twice the thirteen is perhaps the true number of festivals occurring in a year in West Bengal. Some of the note-worthy festivals of West Bengal are the Durga Puja, the Kali Puja, the Rathajatra, the Jagadhwatri Puja, the Idulfetar, the Christmas, etc.
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The Durga Puja is the greatest festival of the Hindoos. It takes place in autumn, the season of beauty, and lasts four days. It is an occasion of joy and merry-making. Boys and girls wear new clothes and move from pandal to pandal. The Idulfetar is the greatest Muslim festival. On this occasion the Muslim boys and girls put on new clothes and visit their friends and relatives. The Muslims invite their Hindoo friends and entertain them with sweets. The Christmas is the greatest of Christian festivals. It falls on the 25th December, the date of Jesus Christ's birth. It is a good occasion of festivity. Houses and churches are gorgeously decorated. Christian men, women and children wear new clothes and go on feasting—eating, drinking, dancing and singing. The Christians distribute food, clothes, medicines, etc. to the poor and the sick.
Festivals are of great importance to the socio-cultural life of West Bengal. On the occasion of a festival the Bengalees forget their caste and religion and mix together. Thus a festival cements the cracks that appear in the social structure.
