Week Ending October 13, 2019

- October 28, 2019

Kolkata Durga Puja; Gwalior- Winston/Kathy - Dussehra & Palace-Fort; Back to Delhi for dinner at Lakori (Haveli in Old Delhi), Qutub Minar and Mehrauli Archaeological Park

Durga Puja is an annual Hindu festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess, Durga. As per mythology, the festival marks the victory of goddess Durga in her battle against the shape-shifting asura, Mahishasura. Thus, the festival epitomizes the victory of good over evil, though it is also in part a harvest festival celebrating the goddess as the motherly power behind all of life and creation.The puja is performed in homes and in the public, the latter featuring temporary stage and structural decorations (known as pandals). (Wikipedia!)

Jeanette & Amrita Kundu

Jeanette

Jeanette, Sayantanee Saha (Bhowmick), Amrita Kundu, Manasi Kundu &

Sujal Saha (Branch President)

Private Residence Pujas

Jeanette

Rickshaw early morning puja walking tour

Young girls are worshiped by Hindu priests as "Kumari."

Gwalior: Dusshera celebration is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of India. In the southern, eastern, northeastern, and some northern states of India, Vijayadashami marks the end of Durga Puja, remembering goddess Durga's victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura to restore and protect dharma. In the northern, central and western states, it marks the end of "Ramlila" and remembers God Rama's victory over the Ravan. On the very same occasion, Arjuna alone decimated more than 100,000 soldiers and defeated all Kuru warriors including Bhishma, Drona, Ashwatthama, Karna and Kripa, a significant example of victory of good (Dharma) over evil (Adharma). Alternatively, it marks a reverence for one of the aspects of goddess Devi, such as Durga or Saraswati.

Gwalior Fort: Gwalior Fort is a hill fort near Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, central India. The fort has existed at least since the 10th century, and the inscriptions and monuments found within what is now the fort campus indicate that it may have existed as early as the beginning of the 6th century. Wikipedia

Circular step well near the fort on the hill.

Kathy, Winston, Grant & Jeanette

With guide in Gwalior Fort

Side view: Teli ka Mandir, also known as Telika Temple, is a Hindu temple located within the Gwalior Fort in Madhya Pradesh. Dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva and Matrikas, it has been variously dated between the early 8th and early 9th century CE.

The Jai Vilas Mahal (Hindi: जय विलास महल), also known as the Jai Vilas Palace, is a nineteenth century palace in Gwalior, India. It was established in 1874 by Maharajadhiraj Shrimant Jayajirao Scindia Alijah Bahadur, the Maharaja of Gwalior.While the major part of the palace is now the "Jiwajirao Scindia Museum" opened to the public in 1964, a part of it is still the residence of his descendants the former royal Maratha Scindia dynasty.