Football-mad Kolkata crafts FIFA 2026 mascots in bamboo, cane for Sikkim display
Jun 14, 2026, at 10:52 pm
In a tribute to Kolkata’s enduring football craze, artisans from the city’s famed Dompara neighbourhood have crafted all the mascots of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, along with a giant World Cup trophy replica, entirely from bamboo and cane. The striking installations, destined for Sikkim, were seen being loaded onto trucks near Girish Park before beginning their journey to the Himalayan state. Known for their traditional craftsmanship, Dompara’s artisans have once again blended local artistry with global sporting passion. Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
In Images: Kolkata artist celebrates global football icons with vibrant street murals
Jun 13, 2026, at 02:10 am
A football fan artist paints a vibrant street mural depicting Argentina captain Lionel Messi, Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazil star Vinicius Jr. on a road in Kolkata. Photo: Rupak De Chowdhuri.
Jun 11, 2026, at 01:40 am
Veteran actress Jaya Prada makes her return to Bengali cinema with director Ujjwal Chatterjee’s upcoming political satire Hirak Ranir Deshe, announced at a press conference in Kolkata. Scheduled for release this October, the film features an ensemble cast including Rajnandini Paul, Badsha Moitra, Bhaswar Chatterjee, Amrita Chattopadhyay, and Kharaj Mukherjee. Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
In Images: UK inaugurates exhibition on climate action in Kolkata to mark World Environment Day
Jun 10, 2026, at 11:17 pm
An exhibition titled “Contours of Climate Action: Our Planet, Our Lens” was inaugurated in Kolkata on Tuesday, showcasing a powerful collection of photographs that highlight themes of conservation, biodiversity, and climate action.
Jun 09, 2026, at 01:00 pm
A glimpse of ‘Dino World’ at South City Mall, where towering prehistoric creatures bring the age of dinosaurs to life for visitors of all ages. (Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
In Images: ICC hosts session on global developments, Governor RN Ravi attends
Jun 06, 2026, at 05:30 pm
The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), on June 6, 2026 hosted a session on “Prevailing Global Situation & Impacts on India”, bringing together policymakers, strategic affairs experts, defence leaders and economists to discuss the security and economic implications of the evolving global landscape on India. The event was attended by West Bengal Governor RN Ravi. (Photo Courtesy: PR Team)
Reading Chain in Kolkata Amid College Street Eviction Fears
Jun 03, 2026, at 04:59 pm
As uncertainty looms over the future of Kolkata’s iconic College Street book bazaar amid fears of eviction, hundreds of students, readers and book lovers formed a human chain to promote the habit of reading and celebrate the city’s rich literary heritage. The event highlighted the enduring bond between Kolkata and its famed “Boi Para”, one of the world’s largest second-hand book markets.
In Images: Kolkata observes World No Tobacco Day
Jun 01, 2026, at 05:11 pm
People observed World No Tobacco Day in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata recently.
In Images: Final tributes to Bengali filmmaker Anik Dutta
May 29, 2026, at 05:13 pm
Emotional farewell given to Bengali filmmaker Anik Dutta who died after falling from rooftop on Wednesday. (Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
In Images: Rajkummar Rao in Kolkata for Sourav Ganguly biopic shoot
May 27, 2026, at 06:19 pm
Actor Rajkumar Rao visited Kolkata on Wednesday (May 27, 2026) to shoot for upcoming biopic based on the life of former captain Sourav Ganguly. Images: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
US Ambassador Sergio Gor visits Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata
May 13, 2026, at 05:45 pm
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on May 13, 2026, visited Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, offered prayers with the Sisters, and reflected on the legacy of Mother Teresa. Photo: US Consulate General Kolkata
Satyajit Ray's family celebrates the legendary filmmaker's 105th birthday
May 03, 2026, at 11:23 am
Legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray's son Sandip Ray and other family members celebrate his 105th birth anniversary in Ray's Kolkata residence. Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
In Images: Mechanic offers relief to stray dogs amid summer heat in Kolkata
Apr 19, 2026, at 05:08 pm
Bivas, a scooter mechanic in Kolkata, bathes stray dogs in front of his shop to help them cope with the scorching summer heat. Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
In Images: Intense devotion marks Charak Festival celebrations on Chaitra Sankranti
Apr 15, 2026, at 01:24 pm
At Kalighat in Kolkata, devotees perform intense acts of devotion to Lord Shiva during the Charak Festival, a traditional celebration observed with fervour on Chaitra Sankranti. (Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
In Images: Charak Festival celebrated with fervour in Bengal's Kalyanpur Bagnan
Apr 14, 2026, at 10:37 pm
Devotees performed traditional and intense acts of devotion to Lord Shiva during the Charak festival in West Bengal's Kalyanpur Bagnan on Chaitra Sankranti, marking the end of the Bengali calendar year. Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS
Where masks, faith and tradition come alive: Hili’s Bikat Kali Puja on the India–Bangladesh border
Apr 14, 2026, at 01:03 pm
Devotees gather in Hili village along the India–Bangladesh border in West Bengal on April 13, 2026, to celebrate the annual Bikat Kali Puja. Wearing intricately handcrafted wooden masks, participants perform the traditional Mukha Naach, a ritual dance that brings to life the fierce “Bikat” form of Goddess Kali. The festival draws large crowds, with thousands of devotees thronging Hili for night-long rituals, music and devotional offerings, creating a powerful atmosphere of faith and cultural heritage. Photos: Rupak DeChowdhuri/IBNS
In Images: Prosenjit Chatterjee leads "Non-Cooperation" movement at Artists' Forum
Apr 12, 2026, at 08:46 pm
Veteran actor Prosenjit Chatterjee addresses a massive assembly of industry professionals at Technicians' Studio in Kolkata on Sunday. During the emergency meeting, Chatterjee formalised a strict "non-cooperation" stance against the production house Magic Moments and its associated directors following the tragic death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee in Odisha. Photo : Avishek Mitra/IBNS
In Images: Mimi Chakraborty unveils Tanishq's natural gemstone collection ‘Hues’
Apr 12, 2026, at 08:37 pm
Tollywood star Mimi Chakraborty radiates elegance at the Kolkata launch of Tanishq’s latest collection, ‘Hues’. Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
In Images: Emotional send-off for actor Rahul Arunodoy Banerjee
Mar 30, 2026, at 08:30 pm
Members of the Bengali film fraternity, political leaders across party lines, and countless fans turned emotional as they bid a teary-eyed farewell to actor Rahul Arunodoy Banerjee, who died by drowning during a shoot in Talsari on Sunday. (Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
West Bengal Assembly Polls: SVEEP Tram rolls through Kolkata streets to boost electoral awareness
Mar 27, 2026, at 07:02 pm
Glimpse of Election Tram car on the road, an SVEEP initiative for electoral awareness for West Bengal Assembly polls, on Friday (March 27, 2026) by Kolkata North District, West Bengal.(Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
In Images: Glimpses from the 116th Annapurna Puja celebrations at Sreemany Bari in Kolkata
Mar 26, 2026, at 10:38 pm
Devotees gathered at Kolkata's famous Sreemany Bari on Thursday for observing the 116-year-old Annapurna Pujo, dedicated to Goddess Annapurna, the deity of nourishment and abundance. This puja is observed with traditional rituals, vibrant decorations, and a deep sense of heritage and community spirit.(Photo : Avishek Mitra)
In Images: Kolkata’s New Market Clock Returns
Mar 26, 2026, at 02:54 pm
After an 11-year silence, the iconic New Market clock chimes again, reviving memories of colonial Calcutta (now Kolkata) and its bustling social life. Restored through painstaking effort, the timepiece once more stands as a symbol of the city’s rhythm—where heritage, nostalgia, and everyday life meet. A photo series by Avishek Mitra/IBNS.
In Images: Panchu Dola Melana festival held at Chilika Lake in Odisha
Mar 10, 2026, at 05:32 am
Devotees perform a traditional dance before carrying idols of Hindu deities through the waters of Chilika Lake during the 150-year-old Panchu Dola Melana festival in Parikuda village, Odisha, on March 9, 2026. The annual ritual brings together deities from more than 20 villages in a ceremonial water procession associated with Radha-Krishna worship after Dola Purnima. Photos: Rupak De Chowdhuri/IBNS
Spring in Bloom: Bauhinia Flowers Paint Kolkata Maidan Pink
Mar 04, 2026, at 01:43 pm
Each spring, Bauhinia flowers burst into bloom across the Kolkata Maidan, washing the city’s vast green heart in soft shades of pink and white. Beneath their delicate petals, young couples pause for photographs, families linger in the open air, and the horizon stretches wide with the quiet charm of the season. Against the Maidan’s sweeping skyline, the blossoms turn an ordinary afternoon into a gentle celebration of springtime in Kolkata. Photos by Avishek Mitra/IBNS.
Splash of Spring: Holi celebrations in Kolkata
Mar 03, 2026, at 05:32 pm
Youths in Kolkata celebrate Holi, the festival of colours, on Tuesday (March 3, 2026). The festival heralds the beginning of Spring. (Image by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
In Images: Thousands gather in Kolkata mosque on first Friday of Ramadan
Feb 20, 2026, at 06:00 pm
Muslim worshippers offer Friday prayers in a mosque during the first Friday of the holy month of Ramadan in Kolkata, India, on February 20, 2026. Photo: Rupak De Chowdhuri/IBNS
In Images: Kolkata’s Chinese community ushers in the Lunar New Year festivities
Feb 18, 2026, at 03:29 am
Kolkata’s Chinese community marked the Lunar New Year with spirited lion and dragon dances that animated the streets of Tangra. Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
Feb 17, 2026, at 05:04 pm
Members of the Chinese community perform a dance as they participate in celebrations to welcome the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Fire Horse in Kolkata on Tuesday. Photo: Rupak De Chowdhuri
In Images: Love gets a vegan twist as activists hit the streets
Feb 13, 2026, at 02:26 pm
Activists from Mercy For Animals India dressed as a chicken, pig and cow distribute roses and hold placards reading “This Valentine’s – Choose Love; Choose Vegan” during a Valentine’s Day awareness demonstration promoting compassion for animals. (Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
Khirai Flower Valley Colours West Bengal’s Countryside
Feb 05, 2026, at 03:42 pm
Khirai Flower Valley—often described as the “Valley of Flowers of West Bengal”—is a vibrant, human-made agro-tourism destination in Purba Medinipur, known for its vast stretches of marigold, chrysanthemum and gladiolus fields in full bloom. Located near Panskura along the Kangsabati River, this colourful rural landscape comes alive between December and February, making it an easy and popular day-trip destination from Kolkata for nature lovers and photographers alike.