Flowers for the Goddess________________
Jagannath Ghat different from other wholesale markets is distinct because of the fragrance of varieties of flowers. The Haraparboti Flower Decorators is one of the biggest wholesalers of flowers. Proprietor Sukumar Mondol, handling the 70-year-old family business for the past 35 years finds the present situation comfortable and is excited as well because of the arrival of the “Devi-paksha”. “Yes, I am definitely going to enjoy

the festival like others, but what excites me is the fact that our sale will go up by leaps and bounds”. He approximates the value of his daily sales figure (Year 2001) to be around Rs. 200-250. But during the five days of the puja alone, he estimates a sale of Rs. 8000-10,000 per day. The man from Dewulia, Midnapore now eagerly waits for Durga puja. “This is the biggest opportunity we get every year and we must not miss the chance”. “Lotus sells the most and we make bundles of one hundred and eight lotuses which sells at around Rs.150-200 per bundle”, says Sukumar who also supplies other essentials such as garlands of marigold, hibiscus, rajanigandha, aparajita and bel leaves as well as other flowers.

Dhaki___________________________ 
His passion and spirit took him to the Indo-Soviet festival in Russia during the tenure of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. This zealous man of seventy-eight is non other than Jogen dhaki, who has been to different parts of the country and abroad with the captivating beats of dhak and plays for the goddess in Puja mandaps and enchants the people around with his scintillating performance at aprice of 4,000 to 5,000 for the four days of the festival.

The spirited man speaking toBangalinet said, " Playing dhak has been my childhood wish and performing it for the Mother Goddess has always been my passion."

Brass bands__________
An almost mandatory accompaniment for all the festive processions in the city, the brass bands are fast losing their ground. Mehboob Band, the brass band company is one of the earliest ‘Tasha Parties’ of Kolkata. Their glittering dresses, swift movements and music of the percussion instruments form a part of the immersionprocession on the last day of the Durga Puja. Band Master Pran Chandra Udhas on the eve of Durga Puja said,

“ We consider the occasion of Durga Puja the start of our season. We accompany almost all the known Barowari Pujas of Kolkata. In great demand on the Dashami day, we charge around Rs. 4,000for two hours of performance.”The clarinets, cymbals and drums accompanied with organ music mark the

farewell of the Goddess on the dusky evening of Dashami reminding us of the end of the four day long celebrations.