In pictures: Stockholm to Singapore — a glimpse of ‘probashi’ Puja celebrations

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Proyas is a ‘Sarbojanin’ Durga Puja held in Chipperfield Village Hall, Kings Langley. This year the Durga Puja was marked by a series of shows and events like a fashion walk, Bollywood medley, as well as street food pop-ups and a handicraft bazaar

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Ealing’s London Sharad Utsav has been celebrated for 14 years. This year, the four days of Durga Puja celebration included both cultural and religious events. With a footfall of over 10,000 visitors, they have now expanded their roster of events to other cultural and community events throughout the year including Folk Music and Arts Festivals, Cricket and Football Leagues, and Art Exhibitions. In partnership with LSU, the parent organisation Bengal Heritage Foundation (BHF) runs social and cultural events that promote Bengali heritage in the UK

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Kali Bari Durga Puja is nestled in Mississauga in Canada’s Ontario. This sacred space, established over 35 years ago, offers a haven for worship and cultural celebration. From authentic rituals, cultural programmes to a serene ambience and more, this puja has it all, including a delectable ‘bhog’ that is served on all days of ‘pujo. With the dedicated leadership of Jaidev Sarkar, chairman of Toronto Kalibari, this place is frequented by many devotees

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Ananda Mandir is a Bengali Hindu temple and community centre that was established in 1995 in Cedar Grove Lane, New Jersey, which also hosts an annual Durgotsav. The Durga Puja celebrations this year began from October 15 and involved various religious and cultural activities. This year, for the Bijoya Sammilani on October 29, renowned singer from Bangladesh, Adity Mohsin, will be performing at the Tagore Hall

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The Durga Puja of Kallol this year began on October 20. The three-day celebrations witnessed electrifying performances by Shaan (in picture), Joy Sarkar and Lopamudra Mitra, Prithibi, Nirmalya Roy and Sandeep Bhattacharjee. Important Durga Puja events like ‘bhog’ distribution, arati, ‘Pushpanjali’, ‘sindur khela’ were all part of the festivities along with food, entertainment and adda

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Bongobashi Socio Cultural Association’s Durga Puja is organised in New Jersey’s Somerset. This was the second year of the association’s puja and was on October 14-15. There was a special performance by Iman Chakraborty along with several other events

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Glimpses from Durga Puja at Ramkrishna Mission, Singapore. Every day of Puja, there is a ‘paath’ and songs at the RKM complex. Interestingly, there's no idol of Durga at this Puja. A photo of the goddess is worshipped every year

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The oldest ‘sarbojanin’ Durga Puja in Singapore is organised by the Bengali Association of Singapore (BAS). Among the many events and rituals, there is a small in-house tradition for ‘bhog nivedan’. All the ladies who make and present the ‘bhog’ to the goddess wear matching saris for the occasion

10/13

Bharti, the Bengali Association of Thailand has been celebrating a Durga Puja for almost 30 years. Held this year at the India Thai Chamber of Commerce in Sathorn, Bangkok, the puja follows the same timings and ‘tithi’ as India, guided by a priest who travels from Kolkata every year. Interestingly, for the five days of Puja there is a Bengali feast prepared by a chef who also travels from Kolkata. Bharti members — adults and children alike — also put up cultural performances

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Stockholm Bangiya Sanatan Samaj, celebrated their 35th year of Durga Puja this year. The association organised a three-day long celebration on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami, eventually performing the ‘darpan bisharjan’ after the Navami puja, once the Dashami ‘tithi’ started

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Bangaliana Multicultural Christchurch has been celebrating Durga Puja since 2021. The Durga idol, which was transported from Kuamrtuli took 78 days to reach New Zealand’s garden city of Christchurch.This year, the celebrations were held on October 20 and 21 at HeiHei Community Hall, and featured several cultural programmes and performances. A Bengali fare of pulao, ‘chholar dal’, ‘luchi’, along with ‘mishti’ like ‘ rosogolla’, ‘sandesh’, ‘payesh’ and jalebi featured on the festive menu

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Over 200 families come together every year to celebrate the 40-year-old Lagos Bongiyo Parishad Durga Puja in Nigeria. This year, a new idol was brought from Kolkata’s Kumartuli along with other important items needed for the rituals. Working around school and office schedules, the Bengalis in Lagos enthusiastically take part in the festivities for five days