London Sharad Utsav (Location: West)
London Sharad Utsav will be celebrating Durga Pujo at Ealing Town Hall between 22nd - 25th October. The 6 year old organisation hosts one of the best Pujos in the UK and also popularises Durga Pujo in Kolkata as a global tourist destination by calling on all global NRIs to visit the Pujo celebrations in Kolkata during Dussera.
A line-up of cultural programs by renowned artistes, Phucka, jhaal Muri,Kolkata rolls, sarees, jewellery, Henna painting & various other stalls are the attractions at the event, including the book launch of 'What happened to Netaji' by Anuj Dhar.
This year Bollywood singer and Minister of State, Babul Supriyo will be the Chief Guest at their Bijoya Dashami Evening called London Sharad Sandhya.
Supriyo, who is the Minister of State for Urban Development, and for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation in West Bengal, India, is also planned to meet the students and teachers of a leading Business School in London, a marketing college from Cambridge and one of the Big 4 Audit and Accounting Firms in UK
LSU started in 2009 and has been a thought leader amongst the Durga Pujas in UK, since inception.
Among the puja festivites, it also promises to launch of Anuj Dhar's new book 'What happened to Netaji'. Anuj, who is in a tour of USA during the Durga Puja, popularising the declassification movement, will be joining in, through Skype.
Prabasheer Chokhey Desher Shera Pujo (Pujo in the eyes of NRIs)
Not contend with just being limited to celebrating Durga Puja in UK, LSU has emerged as a thought leader in aimed at popularising the Durga Puja in Kolkata as a global tourist destination.
Tying up with a Kolkata based NGO called Banchbo, LSU launched this unique Pujo rating contest in Kolkata, which encourages NRIs from across the globe to visit Kolkata during the Pujos and participate in this.
The inaugural year itself was a big success, with about a dozen of visitors.
This year this has reached the next level, with the Bengali Aasociation Midlands, from Birmingham and Wales Pujo Committee, Cardiff, joining in as Prabashee Partners and sending their representatives.
More than two dozen visitors from London, Cardiff, Birmingam, Glasgow and other parts of UK, who will be visiting the Kolkata during the Pujos, will be the 'judges'.
Global Durga Puja
Four years back, LSU started a unique initiative called Global Durga Puja, whereby Kolkata Pujos were beamed live at the LSU venue at Ealing Town Hall, London. This year, this has been taken to a new level with a new name called Global Connect, by Kolkatatoday.com.
As per the plans, there will be live interaction between visitors at the LSU venue and those at Deshapriya Park and Chetla Agrani Sangha Durga Pujos.
Also, Wales Pujo Committee and Bengali Association Midlands have joined in this initiative, leading to further globalisation of this unique concept of Global Connect, an initiative of Kolkatatoday.com
For more info: http://www.londonsu.org
Panchamukhee Durga Utsav (Location: North)
Panchamukhee (a Sanskrit word literally meaning ‘five faced’, a metaphorical representation of multiple dimensions or facets of life) is a non-profit association that was founded in London in 2006 by a group of like minded enthusiasts. The key objectives of Panchamukhee are to promote the arts and cultural heritage of the Indian subcontinent and explore how diffrerent peoples and cultures can work together in todays multicultral UK. Like every year, they will celebrate Durga puja from 18-24 October at Harrow Arts Centre in Hatch End.
In the 10th year of celebration, Panchamukhee presents a variety of cultural events including dance and drama presentation by kids, Junior Champs, a unique dance recital – Tryambakam, Saradindu Mukherjee’s Byomkesh Bakshi and Bollywood night.
On 18th, to celebrate Mahalaya, they have organised for a recitation from spiritual verses of 'Chandi kavya' including Bengali songs, classical music and a dash of acoustic melodrama.
Spondon, will also perform at the Durga puja. Spondon literally meaning ‘pulse’, is a music group that was formed in 2006 to provide a platform to the rich and diverse musical, dance and drama talent that we have amongst us in the community. For more info: www.panchamukhee.org
Durga Puja Dusserah Committee (Location: Central)
Started by few pioneer dedicated Bengalees with the help of the late Shri Tusar Kanti Ghosh, doyen of Bengalee journalism who edited Jugantar and Amrita Bazar Patrika, the venue first was the Mary Ward Hall, Tavistock Place London WC 1. The celebrations then moved from hall to hall, eventually found a home in the Hampstead Town Hall for a few years before settling for good in the present place of worship, the prestigious Camden Centre, Bidborough Street, London WC 1, in the heart of London. They have had help and generous support of some renowned NRIs like Lord Swaraj Paul, Lord R. K. Bagri, Mr. S. N. Gourisaria and Mr. N, Sethia in addition to the support given to them by the festival- attending public and friends.
Their present protima (idol) is a work of art, especially sculpted by the legendary sculptor Late Shri Gorachand Paul of Kumartuli, Kolkata on commission by the world renowned industrialist Mr Lakshmi N. Mittal Chairman of LMN Group/Ispat International Ltd., for the London Durga Puja Dusserah Committee and Mr Mittal remains our main patron.
This year they will be celebrating the grand conclusion of 52 Glorious years with a grand support from Shri Mittal and many partners.
For more info: http://www.londonpuja.com
Sanaton Association London (Location: East)
The Sanaton Association has been serving the Bengali Hindu community in Greater London since 1983. Held at York Hall, Bethnal Green, Durga puja will be held from 19- 22 October 2015. For more info: http://www.sanaton.org.uk
South London Durga Puja (Location: South)
Held at 58 Streatham Road in Mitcham, the celebrations will begin on 19th and go on till Thursday 22 October 2015. Cultural programme will be held from 20th onwards, finishing with “Shidur khela' on Thursday. The Cultural Programme will be followed by Anjali on every day. The evening meal will be served from 21:00 onwards.
For more info: http://www.southlondondurgapuja.com
The above list in non-exhaustive.
