Durga Puja Pandal Hopping in Bangalore
We had heard it, we knew about it but we never did it ourselves. Yet, this year it seems that it was meant to be.
We finally went for our first ever pandal hopping for one of the most romantic celebrations in India, fondly called Pujo.
Lucky for us, we had a couple for company who already were proficient in the skill. We started at noon, all set to see beautiful eyes of Maa Durga, to feast on the bhog, to tap feet to the sound of dhak, to smell the incense out of dhanuchi and to just get lost in the festivities.
Little B was enthusiastic all throughout the day. She was excited to see each God/Goddess idol accompanied by an animal (Durga with a lion, Ganesh with a mouse, Lakshmi with an owl, Saraswati with a swam and Kartikeya with a peacock). She liked it when she got the opportunity to put tikka on her forehead. She liked eating the crispy beguni (eggplant/brinjal fritter). She liked roaming around in the fair eating cotton candy and magahi paan. And most of all she liked dhak and the whole atmosphere its sound creates.
As we were on a pandal-hopping spree, we managed to visit six pandals in a day. Consider that in Bangalore’s traffic and you know we did a lot.
Ma Durga pictures from our Durga Puja pandal hopping in Bangalore –
Pandals covered – Banaswadi, Commercial Street, RT Nagar – Bihar Bhavan, RT Nagar, Palace Grounds and Indiranagar.
P.S. Little B was wearing sneakers. As it was required to take off shoes at each pandal, it seemed as if we are just tying and untying her shoes all the time. Little tip – if you are carrying children along, make sure they are wearing easy slip on shoes. Believe me, life would be easier.
yes it does! Were are you based?!
Seems like Bangalore had some lovely Pandals too!
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