2013 Diwali Festival dates and Lakshmi puja timings

The festival of Diwali is on the doorstep and it is time to light diyas, put out the buntings and kandeels, make artistic rangolis and gorge on yummy faraal and mithais. It is also the occasion when families and friends spend the maximum time together for a full 5 day celebration of joy and happiness.

One of the most important deities worshipped during Diwali is Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. In addtion, Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom and Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowlege and learing, are worshipped too. 

2013 Bengal Club Shivaji Park Mumbai Durga Puja Pandal

The Durga Puja organized by the Bengal Club, Shivaji Park, Mumbai is one of the most popular pandals in the city. Last year, the pandal’s design was centered on Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home, Thakur Bari, the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore (see details here). 

This year, the design is a replica of the famous Bishnupur Temple in Bankura District, West Bengal. For a special touch, the decorations have been done by artistes from Shantineketan.

What is the meaning and significance of 9 Navratri colours

Most of you are probably aware that Goddess Durga has 9 incarnations. These incarnations are worshipped during the 9 days and nights of the Navratri festival (nav meaning nine and ratri meaning night). A unique aspect of the worship is to dress the idol in a different colour on each day. 

In recent years, it has become fun to dress up in a colour corresponding to the colour of the Devi’s garments. Did you know, though, that it is believed that each colour represents a particular guna (characteristic or quality) of the Devi? 

In fact, colours, just like the mounts, are often associated with various Gods and Goddesses.

2013 Dandiya Raas Garba Navratri Venues Mumbai

It is that time of the year when it is time to learn and practice your dance moves for Garba & Dandiya Raas! Mumbai city is the place to be, to enjoy the colourful musical public events at various venues. 

Other than the most popular one, where Falguni Pathak performs live, there are other places too where you can dance to your heart's content to the latest Bollywood beats & traditional numbers.

Visiting RBI museum Mumbai

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which is India’s official monetary authority, has set up a museum in Maharashtra’s capital city Mumbai. 

The goal of the museum is to provide documentation and preserve the heritage of India’s financial instruments as well as to educate people on the concept of money over the ages. 

In fact, the museum not only showcases currency just from India but also from other parts of the globe & takes you back in time to the time when punched coins existed.

2013 Ram Maruti Road Dadar Ganapati pandal

A well-known landmark in central Mumbai is the Shiv Sena Bhavan, headquarters of the Shiv Sena political party. The organizers who have set up the Ram Maruti Road Ganapati pandal have this year re-created the Shiv Sena Bhavan. It has been done very realistically both on the exterior and in the interior. Do visit it!

2013 Dadarcha Raja Ganapati pandal

The photos in this blog post are of the Dadarcha Raja located at R.K.Vaidya Road, opp. Kotwal Udyan, Dadar (West), Mumbai.