Kolkata:
Durga pujo in Kolkata is incomplete without the rhythms of dhak. And as the pujo gathers momentum in the city, the railway stations have turned into dhaki junctions.
Like every year, thousands of dhakis have arrived in the city. It is a community of traditional drummers from across rural Bengal and their dhaks are the traditional drums used for the pujo.
No pujo is complete without these unique rhythms.
"Back in the village, being a dhaki brings no money. So we come down to the city. This is where we earn our profits, and take some money back home," said Kartik Das, a dhaki from Murshidabad.
This station is almost a live market of dhakis. Here, Puja organisers compete with each other to get the best dhakis at the best bargains.
"You see, you get the best crowd in Sealdah, the best dhakis from all over Bengal. It's become a ritual at Sealdah," said Shubham, a Durga pujo organiser.
Through the year Sealdah may be like just another big railway station across the country. But during pujo it is this unique distinction of hosting so many dhakis from across Bengal that lends such a unique festive flavour.