Indian Bengali Association in the Netherlands

Next Event

DURGA PUJA
Durga Puja

Venue : Prinses Marijkelaan 4, 2252 HH, Voorschoten.

Click here to attend ...  http://www.durgapuja.nl

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Kallol, Indian Bengali Association in Netherlands is proud to announce the first ever Durgapuja Celebrations in The Netherlands. The celebrations will be held from the 14^th of October until the 17^th October at  Prinses Marijkelaan 4, 2252 HH, Voorschoten.

 

Significance

 

India is a land of holy places, holy rivers, and large religious festivals. Among India’s most colorful and lively festivals is Navratri (Festival of Nine Nights), and Durgapuja is one of the most popular versions of this festival celebrated in Eastern India, especially in the state of West Bengal.

 

According to the Gita -the holy book of the Hindus – whenever evil rears its ugly head, the Almighty comes to the rescue of humanity by establishing victory of truth over untruth, and good over evil. Navratri is a celebration of the victory of good over evil , with several variations of the tradition all over India. Durgapuja specifically celebrates the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. According to legend, Goddess Durga was summoned by the gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, to defeat the demon, who had set out to conquer the world.

 

Durgapuja is a grand festival of joy and gaiety - a celebration of ceremonies, prayers, cultural roots, family values and harmony. It brings together people from all social and economic backgrounds. The festival has spiritual, cultural and social dimensions that foster compassion, friendship and peace. The doors of the festival are open to all irrespective of caste, creed and race.

 

Durgapuja in The Netherlands

 

Today Durgapuja is organized by Bengalis all over the world. Many Durgapujas  are organized in major Eurpean cities such as Cologne, Frankfurt, Rome, Brussels, Helsinki besides the many pujas organized in the United Kingdom.

 

Kallol has taken the pioneering step to organize the first Sarbojonin (communal) Durgapuja in The Netherlands to fill a major socio-cultural gap in the lives of Bengalis and Indians living in this country. This will allow a large section of the diaspora to enjoy the festivities nearer home with their families and friends without having to travel to faraway places in Europe.

 

 

Highlights

The puja will be held for four days in a spacious venue at Voorschoten, a central location in the Randstad region within a short distance from Leiden and Den Haag. The venue has ample car parking spaces and other amenities and can accommodate more than 300 people.

 

Besides the religious aspects, visitors will be treated with delicious Indian/Bengali food (lunch/dinner) on all days of the celebrations. On three evenings there will be cultural programs showcasing cultural aspects of Bengali and Indian life through classical music, songs, dances and drama presented by talents from the local community and other parts of Europe.

 

There will be many other social activities like children’s painting competitions, recitations, antakshari etc organized during the puja days to ensure that the venue is lively throughout the day.

 

Kallol plans to publicise the event widely amongst the Indian diaspora and the local Dutch community. We expect to receive the support of the Gementees (City council) of Amstelveen and Voorschoten as well as the Indian Embassy in the Netherlands in publicizing the event. Over the four days, more than 2000 visitors are expected to visit the venue from The Netherlands and the neighboring countries.

 

Opportunity

The festivities will present an ideal opportunity to reach out to the Indian diaspora and a large part of the Dutch community with a keen interest in India and Indian Culture. This will be an ideal advertising and marketing opportunity for organizations that wish to:

 

-          Promote tourism

-          Promote Indian Culture

-          Promote services for Non-Resident Indians

-          Promote Indian Goods and Services

-          Promote cultural and trade  links between India and The Netherlands

 

Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities

Interested Corporate sponsors can be a part of the celebrations by taking up different sponsorship opportunities that will include:

 

1. Celebration Sponsorship
2. Space to set up a stall
3. Banner at the venue
4. Advertisement in the Souvenir
5. Event Sponsorship

 

Celebration Sponsorship opportunities are available for 5000 Euro per sponsor. Celebration sponsors can be given a (optional) complimentary stall space (8 ft X 6 ft), one full page advertisement in the Souvenir and two banner spaces at the venue.

 

 

Sponsorship  for Medium Business: ( For rates please visit www.durgapuja.nl )

 

 

1. Banner at the Venue (for four days) :

 

-          Banner to be supplied by sponsor

-          Maximum Size of banner: 4 feet by 2 feet

 

1. Souvenir Advertisement – advertiser will have to provide the artwork

 

Full page – 

Half Page –

Quarter page –

 

1. Stall Space (limited number of stall spaces – 8 ft X 6 ft each are available)

 

Stall Space –

 

The sponsor will have to set up the stall and supply all materials.