DURGA PUJA - UNIQUE & DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD

you must have witnessed the extravagant frenzy of the Carnival in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, or you have obviously felt the craze of Diwali i...

you must have witnessed the extravagant frenzy of the Carnival in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, or you have obviously felt the craze of Diwali in North India. That feeling of happiness and making memories with family and friends are what everyone looks forward to all year. 

But, if you have been to Kolkata during Durga Puja, you must have figured out why it is called the City of Joy and why it is different from every other festival around the world. During the five days, the Puja fever grips the heart of everyone in the city regardless of age, caste, class or gender. The entire state of Bengal welcomes Goddess Durga and her children, along with the mighty demon Mahishasura, with open arms and hearts filled with incomprehensible emotions of joy and togetherness. From the northern points of Tala and Bagbazar to the swanky southern pandals of Garia and Behala, the Kolkata streets constantly buzzing with waves of darshanarthis or 'pandal-hoppers" dressed in the best possible way they can. And above all Durga Puja is the ultimate celebration of womanhood and the supreme source of power- Ma Durga.

However, the appearance of Puja may be, when it comes to maintain the age-old tradition, there are no exceptions. Apart from the regular religious rituals, Durga Puja in Kolkata has some of its own trademark features that make it all the more exclusive. Some of the famous tradition of Durga puja are-

The Deity:

The Idols of Ma Durga and her children is obviously the most important part and the chief attraction of the grand event. Durga in her full avatar appears stabbing Mahishaura's torso with her “Trishul”( trident) while riding the Lion. To her left stand Saraswati and Karthika and to her right, you will find Lakshmi, Ganesh, and Ganesh's two wives in the form of banana trunks, or as we call them “the Kala Bou”. There would also be an image of Shiva above Durga. The whole structure or frame, where Ma stands, is called a Chala.

Offering the Eye:

One of the oldest and most interesting rituals, before the beginning of the Puja itself, is the Chokkhudaan or the offering the eye of Goddess Durga. Generally, it takes around 2 to 3 months to make an entire Durga Chala.  As per the age-old tradition, the final stroke of the paint makes the eyes of Durga. This ritual is supposed to done in complete darkness and in the presence of only the main sculptor and no one else.

Ashtami Puspanjali:

No Bengali, in spite of living here on Bengal or abroad, misses the puspajanlior flower offering to Devi Durga on Ashtami morning (eighth day of the festival). You can be anywhere in Kolkata in the morning of Ashtami and see how people, even strangers, come together and offer flowers in form of their prayer to Goddess Durga, whom they consider as Maa or mother.

Kumari Puja:

Goddess Durga is worshipped in many forms during the grand festival. One of the most famous forms being that of Kumari or the “virgin”. A girl with a certain disposition and astrological properties and also aged between one to thirteen years is selected beforehand. On the day of Ashtami, the Kumari girl is considered as Ma Durga herself and is worshipped in front of the Durga idol. This ritual is considered as one of the purest forms of worship. One of the most famous Kumari Pujas is the one that Swami Vivekananda started at Belur Math, that continues till date with grandeur.

Sandhi Puja:

The days of Durga Puja do not follow the usual 12 to 12 clock system. One day can changes to another in anytime of the day. Every evening of Durga Puja is a grand festival itself. The change from Ashtami to Navami, considered as the most holistic time of the entire Puja. To mark this time, drums, bells and brasses welcomes the new day with dance and especially, the “dhunuchinaach”. The Sandhi Puja has another age-old tradition, where we offer 108 lotus flowers to the Deity and the we worship her with 108 Diya's as well. The chant and incantations continue till next morning.

 Sindur Khela:

 Dashami, a word that bring sadness in every Bengali heart, is the last day of Durga Puja festival. On this day, married and unmarried women gather at the Puja pandals and smear MA Durga and her children and also each other with sindur (vermillion) much like playing with colors in Holi. This ritual marks the farewell of Goddess Durga. The main reason behind this ritual is to inviting Ma to come to us again next year.

Vijaya Dashami:

The streets of Kolkata change on the last day of grand festival. Thousands of processions, millions of people hang around the roads and the traffic get into a tizzy. Goddess Durga bids adieu with her family and sets off for the Himalayas. The idols are immersed into the Ganges. A ritual of family reunion takes place following the deity immersion. Every Bengali household hosts gatherings and exchange sweets and savories like “Nimki”, “Gujiya” and “Goja” and other gifts with their loved ones.

Durga puja and food is literally inseparable from one another. Starting the day with the classic Bengali breakfast “luchi-alurdom” or “luchicholar dal”, then processing to the lunch with delicacy's like “Polao”, “kosha mangsho”, “chingrimachermalaikari”, “BhetkiPaturi”, we Bengalis keep aside all our dieting's for these five days. And in the evenings, during the pandal hopping, it is literally impossible to ignore all the luscious smell and aroma of all the street foods, from Burger to fish fry to beguni( brinjal fritters), from kababs to Mughlai porotas to Kati rolls, from chocolates , ice-creams to cakes the ultimate Kolkata favorite Fuchkkas, and many more, which are found in each and every nook and corner of the city and around the puja pandals as well.

 Kolkata witnesses two completely different kinds of Durga Puja and apart from the rituals, both are completely different from each other. One is the grand festival of 'para' (locality) with puja lights, designs, themes, ideas and crowd while the other is the 'barir' (home) puja, which has a homely effect and brings people closer to their roots with the sense of homecoming. The first kind happens in the pandals and community halls everywhere in the city while the other is happening inside the old houses of North Kolkata or the affluent households of South Kolkata.

There are around 3000 registered community puja societies are listed only in the city of Kolkata on 2019. Though each and every puja has something to offer but it is not even possible to hop around and check all of those in those 5 days of span. But there are some few big names, without which, Kolkata puja is literally incomplete.

If you are someone who loves the old school charm and have all your heart on old style traditional Durga puja style then you should definitely visit

·        College square

·        Muhammad Ali park

·        SreebhumiSpoarting Club

·        Maddox Square

·        Ballygunge Cultural association.

And if modern art and themes and rather new and abstract style pandal and Idol of Ma Durga excites you most, then you should visit pandals of

·        Hatibagan Nabin Pally

·        Nalin Sarkar street Durgotsav committee

·        TridharaSammillani

·        Suruchi Sangha

·        NaktalaUdayan Sangha

And if you really want to take a glimpse of old “Bonedi Bari puja”, then “SovabajarRajbari”,in North Kolkata, is the place for you. Though there are more than 100 “barirpuja” happens in the city but most of them does not allow outsiders in to their houses during puja days due to security reasons and privacy issues. 

Along with all the rituals and traditions which are happening everywhere in the city during the puja days, there are two extra rituals which, though does not written in any “Sastras”, but a mandatory during puja, are – spending time with family and catching up with friends- these two just cannot go undone. Sometimes the traffic issues, the over enthusiastic crowds and unlimited noise during those days are getting on the nerves, and it is quiet annoying to some extent as well but what is a Durga Puja without all those crowds and Noise!