Kolkata biryani, basanti pulao (fragrant rice), chholar dal (chana lentil), fish fry, kobiraji (cutlets), kathi roll (kebab wrapped in flaky paratha), rosogolla, machh er kaliya (fish curry), Kashmiri alu r dom (steam cooked baby potatoes), mutton kosha (mutton curry) and pineapple chutney – these are only a handful of delectables that will be served at the Durga Puja celebrations across Chennai.
As the season of Ashwin (sixth month of the solar Bengali calendar) knocks on our doors, preparations for Durga Puja are in order. Although a microcosm of the grand spectacle that ensues in Kolkata, Bengali communities in Chennai come together to recreate the flurry and fervour of the festival that they grew up witnessing.
