Durga Puja - Utsav
Gold River, CA, California, USA
http://www.utsavsac.org
Utsav is a nonprofit, cultural organization involved in promoting Bengali culture in Sacramento valley. Utsav was founded in 2002, with one goal: creating a positive and enjoyable experience of friendship, happiness, and harmony via our Bengali heritage. Although Utsav is predominantly a Bengali organization so far, we want to reach other communities as well. Therefore, membership in Utsav is not limited to any particular race, religion or ethnic origin. In addition, it provides an opportunity for the children to learn about the ancient cultural tradition of India through various literary and other social and cultural events organized by Utsav.
Bengal is located in eastern part of India and has been the center of cultural, intellectual and religious figures for past severer decades. Bengali Heritage comprises its arts, language, literature, folk traditions, and philosophy of life and religion. Great authors and poets like Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Sarat Chandra Chatterjee, Tarashankar Banerjee, and Manik Banerjee have put Bengali language and literature on the world map.
Artists Jamini Roy, Nandalal Bose, and Abanindranath Tagore used their canvas to create portrait of peace and tranquility, of anguish and suffering and of love and hate that is Bengal. Udayshankar delighted millions by his frolicking dance sequences and Ravishankar by his ecstatic, transcendental melody and magic of sitar. Film directors Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, and Tapan Sinha depicted moving tales of Bengali hearts and souls and their meagre yet meaningful existence and way of life on the silver screen with all its glory and vibrant universal appeal to every people of the world.
Social reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, and Maharshi Debendranath Tagore redefined our social mores. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose led us in the field of science and B.C. Roy in medicine. C.R. Das sparked the spirit of Indian nationalism, and Netaji gave leadership in India's armed revolution against the might of the British empire. Philosophers and prophets such as Sri Ramkrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Sri Aurobindo emancipated not only Bengal and India with their simple message of life and living, but illuminated the world at large.
Keeping our rich heritage in mind, Utsav is committed to promote our great culture, literature and values with today’s fast-paced environment. For the past eight years, Utsav has been celebrating three major events: Saraswati Puja, General Meeting/Annual Picnic and our biggest event Durga Puja. Every year, during Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja, we organize cultural programs performed by our local talents. Most our members and their children take part of the cultural program.
Charitable works, performed by Utsav members include Cooking a Meal for St. John's Shelter, Toys for Tots toy drive, KVIE Public Television Pledge Drive, and volunteer work at The Vedanta Society of Sacramento. Utsav also promotes Bengali education through its Bangla School and annual magazine called "Chowrongee".
