This time around she was asked to destroy the demon Asura. Asura has the ability to disguise and change form (Terminator 2?). So before setting out to fight Asura she tells her husband that she is going to her parent's home with her kids, hearing this Shiva is sad but agrees to let her go.

Then starts the major battle, Asura charges on Durga (riding a lion), and he is disguised as a buffalo and then keeps changing form repeatedly but is ultimately defeated. This whole event is known as Durga Puja all over the world. Now-a-days it is a social event with even Harry Potter mixed in. It is an opportunity for the unemployed of Calcutta to make their yearly earnings.

Bugs & Gecko & Spider dance
We hardly experience bugs in the US unless we hit the nature trails, but in Calcutta bugs are a common place. It is definitely not the Amazon forest but there are a few varieties that keep visiting us on a daily basis. When we stayed at the hotel room it was free of bugs but back in our apartment it was a different story.

Gecko - They walk around the walls and sometimes get real fat from lack of competition. If talk about something and hear the chirping of the gecko immediately after, then folklore tells us that your statements will definitely come true.


Spiders - Usually minute but their webs are visible.

Small bugs - Harmless and attracted to white neon lights.

Mosquitoes - Like the World War 1 fighter planes they buzz in on their targets. We did not get any malaria shots but that is advisable. Malaria medication is also available in the form of tablets.

We got an Eucalyptus-lime based body spray from the outdoor stores in the US and that has been an effective repellent.

Foreign Influence on the Indian Cuisines
Sangita showed an Indian sandwich recipe in one of her classes, as this is a British influenced food item. We got a chance to sample the sandwiches in Calcutta. All of them are very tasty and the bread is bit fried or roasted in oil. There are fries to go along. It has been a learning experience and maybe next time around you will get to eat the Calcutta version.