Bhapa Sandesh/ Steamed Bengali Cheese Fudge

Autumn season is known for auspicious celebrations for Indian starting with Navaratri, Durga pooja, Laxmipooja and ending with Diwali, Kali pooja(another form of goddess Durga) and Bhai PhoNta.  

Diwali/Festival of Lights signifies light over darkness and good over evil. This joyous occasion is marked as a national holiday in India and celebrated on the month of October or Early November every year. People decorate their house with clay lamps or electric lights. Some families worship goddess Laxmi Pooja for divine blessing. Families and neighbors gather together with new clothes, display fireworks and share home made sweets and savory snacks. 

Gurer Narkol Naru/ Coconut Confection with Jaggery

My house smells divine. The earthy smell of jaggery fills up the entire house while getting slowly cooked with coconut. It's the time of the year Bengali households are busy preparing Naru for the greatest festival "Durga pooja" also known as Sharodshav that falls on Autumn during the month of either late September or early to mid October. Goddess Durga symbolizes divine forces(positive energy) against the negative forces of evil.

2015 Bay Area Shobar Poojo 

The ritual is observed for ten days but last four days especially in West Bengal, other places of India and abroad Durga pooja is celebrated in a grand way. Ma Durga and her four children, Laxmi, Shraswati, Kartik and Ganesh are worshipped on Mahasaptami, Mahastomi, Mahanabomi and Mahadoshomi days. Devotees dress up with nice clothes and go to the pooja pandel to worship and pray offering special treats with gaiety and devotion.