Dilla Djalil-Daniel: Kolkata's Durga Puja

Photo ©Dilla Djalil-Daniel- All Rights Reserved

Photo ©Dilla Djalil-Daniel- All Rights Reserved

Photo ©Dilla Djalil-Daniel- All Rights Reserved

Photo ©Dilla Djalil-Daniel- All Rights Reserved

Photo ©Dilla Djalil-Daniel- All Rights Reserved

Dilla Djalil-Daniel is a photographer currently living in Jakarta, and just returned from Kolkata where she photographed the city's exuberant festival of Durga Puja.

Although she travels around the world for her photography, especially in Asia and has a large portfolio that ought to be shown on her own personal website, Dilla has yet to have one. It's a shame really...but to make up for it, here's a selection of her Durga Puja work.

Durga Puja is the biggest festival in Bengal, and it's also known as Dussehra and Navaratri in other parts of India. Durga is the goddess of divine power against all evils. The festival traditionally starts when thousands offer prayers to their ancestors at the city's ghats, and drummers with ceremonial drums descend on the city. During the festival, thousands of pandals (structures to carry the religious icons and idols) are on display all over Kolkata, and are visited by throngs of people. On the final day of the festival, these pandals with the idols are carried in processions, and immersed in the Ganges.