Singer composing songs for the Puja_______________________ 
Haimonti Shukla is a household name in the Bengali world of music. Trained by her father, Pundit Harihar Shukla, Haimonti mastered both Indian Classical and Bangla Adhuniks. Her tireless contribution to the Bengali audience for the last three decades has placed her in the Bengali heart. Durga Puja is for her a time to welcome new things. She remains busy before the pujas with the recording of her new songs. About her Puja records she says, “I don’t see any difference in the songs sung

during puja and other times. I try to sing every song perfectly. People who listen to my songs can tell better. But the puja records are something special to me. I’ll surely be disheartened if none of my records come out during the puja.” Durga puja is the biggest and the best of all Bengali festivals and she tries to spend it accordingly. This year after a long time she will be spending the Puja in Kolkata.

“For the past few years I had to stay out of India but this year is certainly going to be different. I want to spend the puja by meeting friends and close ones and of course by singing.”

Writer contributing his works in Puja Barshikis________________ 
Dibyendu Palit is a well-known professional writer of Bengali literature. For him, Durga Puja is the biggest Bengali festival without which Bengali life would have been quiet, gray and dull. He contributes his works in Puja Barshikis but as he chooses to write not more than one or two stories, there is not much of a pressure. Speaking to Bangalinet about the difference between regular writing and writing for puja barshikis he says, “I sincerely try to maintain the proper standards in all my works. I do not make any differences. But what I’ve been observing for quite sometime is that Bengali literature has become dependant on Puja Barshikis. Seventy percent of the works that are published as books later appears in the Puja Barshikis.” Puja for him is staying at home and participating in the celebrations in his apartment complex. Aptly describing his activity then he says, “What I really do is meet people who are busy on other times. “Adda” may be the right word to describe my activity during the puja.”