If we talk about fashion meeting tradition, then Durga Puja celebrations at CR Park could be the best example representing this. Its wondrous to witness the transformation of a large New Delhi park to Mini-Kolkata. Durga Puja here starts from tomorrow with its first ritual Ananda Mela.
Let us first introduce about Ananda Mela to those who are unaware. As said earlier, Ananda Mela is the first get together of the Sharad Utsav.
As we all know, food is an imperial part of Kolkata and Durga Puja Celebrations. When the ladies carry their traditional saree gracefully and males are seen in the kurta and dhoti, the festival is incomplete without the food.
Ananda Mela is the representation of various Bengali cuisines; you can say a culinary ritual. In the evening, stalls are set up for the dishes and number of platters creates a difficulty to choose what to eat for the foodies. Ananda Mela can be called as Food Festival of Durga Puja which is conducted at the beginning of the celebration.
According to Dilip Guha, member of Durga Puja association of CR Park, “The Bengali Cuisine is famous around the country, sweets are incomparable. Durga Puja, being the most important festival, this culinary ritual is a must.”
Here at Ananda Mela, ladies bring food which is their specialty and the dish represents its family tradition on the evening before the puja begins. This adds colour and flavour to the celebrations.
