Kolkata:
Valentine's Day the world over may be on the 14th of Feb. But in Kolkata, it extends over the five days of the Durga Pujas now on, with young couples making the most of extended curfew hours and huge crowds that deflect prying eyes.
It could be the throb of the drums or the sweet scent of incense. Whatever it is, under the gaze of the Goddess, there is romance is in the air and the puja pandals are happy hunting grounds for love.
"Durga puja is a Valentine's Day for Bengalis," says 27-year-old Deepak visiting the Deshapriya Park puja pandal with his girlfriend. "That's because the atmosphere and environment is totally romantic," he adds.
Recently married Sourav and Shreya, too, agreed. "You don't need a particular date or time for romance, but for Bengalis Durga Pujas are the days for romance. In our college days, bird watching was a major event. After marriage it is all one-directional but for young ladies and men, it's the time for romance."
At almost every pandal you are sure to bump into doe-eyed couples either falling in love at first sight or rekindling romance. But there is one pandal in south Kolkata, at Maddox Square, that has earned a name for itself as a cradle of puja romance.
"Romance is in the air here," gushes 24-year-old Sagarika. "You have to just reach out and catch it. I caught mine here at Maddox Square two years ago." This year, sadly, her beau couldn't be in town in the Pujas but Sagarika decided to visit Maddox Square with her friends any way. "I miss him", she says.
There is no age bar on romance in the times of Durga Puja, says 45-year-old Madhumita Sen who has been married for 24 years. Every year when she goes hopping from one Durga pandal to the other during the pujas with her husband, their romance simply rekindles.
Arindam Das and Sutapa met at the Deshapriya Park puja pandal two years ago. They are going to get married next February.
"I met her here in 2010 at same place. It was Ashtami. She was wearing a lovely sari. From then it has been a great experience and I'm lucky to have a life partner like her and next year we are getting married," says Arindam.
So Saint Valentine clearly has competition. What's more, instead of just one day, Goddess Durga has full five full days to weave her magic spell.