Our member Ms Bithi Ghosh had visited the Colorado Plateau and the Grand Canyon it is famous for. She shares the uniqueness of the place and the reason why people visit it.
In the year 2000 I had gone to visit my son who stays in Los Angeles. While staying there he had come across a very endearing person who had become a very close family friend of ours. My son used to lovingly call her American Mom. When I visited the US, I met her and she was an absolute wonderful host and took us for a visit to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon and the river Colorado.
It was an exceptional experience, as this was absolutely different from most of the places that I had visited till then. Its unique geological make with the multitude of imposing peaks, buttes, gorges, and ravines leaves you absolutely spellbound. To understand the place in its simplest way, I would say it covers a large portion of the southwestern United States and consists essentially of horizontal layered rocks and lava flows.
Deposits of various substances over millions of years like granite, limestone, sandstone etc. have created the marvellous walls of the Canyon, the exposed rocks of the Canyon wall and the branched trees metamorphosed over there are beyond explanation.
The Colorado river has created history. It with its sharp torrent of water has been able to create a path cutting through the rocks which is a marvel in itself.
Our basic intension was to witness the sunrise there. We reached there the night before. There were plenty of places available for tourists to stay. We woke up much before dawn and went to view the sunrise. What we saw was ecstatic. The early sunbeams falling on the yellowish-brown rocks around was breathtaking. The orange hues in the sky seemed to be a reflection of the land around.
The rocks of Arizona and the Colorado river with its intricate chasm is worth a visit.

Our members Mr. A. K. Chakraborty and Mr. A. Sinha had spent their childhood in places renowned for Jagadhatri Puja. They share their experiences of the tradition and rituals amidst which they were brought up. In my hometown of Chandannagar, we celebrate the vibrant and enchanting festival of Jagadhatri Puja. From my earliest memories, I marveled at the artistry of the idol-makers who graced our home. This ritual was a meticulous process, beginning with the creation of an elephant, followed by a lion, and finally, the magnificent goddess, Jagadhatri herself. For four consecutive days—Shasthi, Saptami, Ashtami, and Navami—the goddess was revered with great devotion, following time-honored rituals. To mark each day, sumptuous bhog, a special offering, was shared with all who attended, making it a delightful time for us as children.
However, it was Dashami, the final day, that held the most excitement. Nearly a hundred children would join in a joyful procession, dancing alongside the beautifully adorned idol as we made our way to the ferry ghat for the grand immersion. The idol took a grand tour of Chandannagar, delighting all with its presence.
Stand Ghat was a picturesque location, with wooden planks leading to the river’s edge. With great care, the idol was gently lowered down the planks, secured by ropes from behind. Wooden planks were also laid on the water’s surface. The idol gracefully glided onto these planks before being gently pushed further into the river, where it would eventually submerge.
As the clay dissolved, the base of the idol was recovered to be used in the next year’s puja. This practice was essential, as crafting the base was a laborious task. The remaining parts of the idol were separated from the base and immersed in the water. By the time these rituals were completed, the first light of dawn would break.
We would return in the same vehicle used to carry the idol, arriving back at our house. Our home would be bustling with relatives, with every room occupied. Knowing this, we often chose to spend our evenings outside, indulging in the festive atmosphere. Jatras and song performances were intentionally scheduled for the night, encouraging people to enjoy the festivities well into the late hours.
𝘽𝙮 𝙈𝙧. 𝘼. 𝙆. 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙠𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙮
I was raised in the house ‘Mallick Bari’ at Sarker para, Sheoraphuli, in the Hooghly district of West Bengal. Our family has a rich tradition of celebrating Jagadhatri Puja for generations, spanning nearly 250-300 years. This grand festival is a collaborative effort involving all family members. We meticulously plan the bhog (offering) and serve it to hundreds of people from our neighborhood.
Jagadhatri Puja is a unique celebration for us because all the rituals, including Shasthi, Saptami, Ashtami, and Navami, are observed on a single day. The centerpiece of our festivities is the Jagadhatri idol, which we craft in our own home. After the conclusion of the puja, the basic frame of the idol is ceremoniously immersed in the river. However, the frame is not discarded; it is retrieved and preserved for the following year, when it will be worshipped again, and a new idol will be meticulously crafted upon it. This unbroken tradition is a testament to our deep reverence for Goddess Jagadhatri and the bond that ties our family and community together.
𝘽𝙮 𝙈𝙧. 𝘼. 𝙎𝙞𝙣𝙝𝙖