With Durga Puja celebrations in full swing, Bengali associations and puja committees across the country have locked in rock and pop bands from their home state to perform at their venues.

Bands like Chandrabindu, Cactus, Bhoomi and Dohar are in demand not only in India but also abroad. At home, they charge between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh for a one-hour performance. Abroad, they are paid anywhere between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh per show.

Here are five of the most sought-after Bengali bands this Durga Puja season.

Chandrabindu
The eight-member Kolkata band shot into limelight in 1998 with their maiden album Aar Jaani Na (Little Do I Know). The band also performed at Durga Pujas in London and Miami in 2008 and 2009.

Here is a video of them performing at the Miami Durga Puja festival.




Bhoomi
They play a mix of urban folk and rock music. They began their journey in 2000 with an album titled Jatra Shuru (The Play Begins) but came into limelight when they composed a song for Euro 2004, that was aired on ESPN and Star Sports.  The band fuses urban lyrics with rural Bengali folk styles.

Here is a video of them performing in Tampa Bay in the US.



Cactus
Since their inception, Cactus have recorded four studio albums and have performed over 2,500 concerts. Inspired by the likes of Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden and many others, they are among the oldest Bangla rock bands. Their very first album in 1999 became a rage with a touch of blues and psychedelic rock. With numbers like Brishti (Rain), Icchamati (According to Her Own Wish) and Oooh! Ma (Oh! Mom), their debut brought psychedelia into Bengali music.

Here is a video of the band performing at a Durga Puja event in Bangalore.




Dohar
They call themselves cultural activists who use music as a platform to spread cultural awareness.

Here is a video of the band performing in New Delhi in 2009.




Fossil
Along with Cactus, it is one of the first Bangla rock bands from Kolkata. The band has won many accolades since their inception in 1998. It has released six albums so far. Fossil is especially popular among rock music fans, as it is the first Bengali band to play heavy metal with Bengali lyrics.

Here is a video of the band performing at a Durga Puja event in Bangalore.