We Bengalees are so called "Hujuge" and do not lose one single chance to get swept. Ladies are over excited with their new look that is to be dawn in puja time, and their male counterparts are planning for marathon "adda" and pandal hopping.
this puja comes with many good news, one of them being the closure for 5 days, which we kolkattans look forward for. We all plan for tour, eating out, dressing up and many more activities for these precious four days. There are lots of people who do not like to get mixed up in the crowd and make a tiresome journey for a long day to just watch the same idols in every distinct corner of this city. They rather prefer to go for a long drive or even, a long tour.
Durgapuja in Kolkata are mostly arranged by Para clubs, though some families arrange for their puja, which are also very authentic and traditional in look and feel.
The Puja originally starts with Mahalaya, that is the day on which Maa Durga starts her journey from Her inlaws house to her parental house.
sixth day the Puja starts, as the goddess had arrived with her children and family.
sixth day the Puja starts, as the goddess had arrived with her children and family.
Sasthi and Saptami puja goes on, and the eighth day, which is called Astami, is the day of prayer offering. "Anjali" is a ritual which is to be performed in empty stomach, flowers in hand, religious and not so religious bengalees, dressed in dhuti punjabi or saree, we pray to Devi Durga. After the ritual is over, its time for Luchi, one of the most favourite food of Bengalees.
All glory becomes little bit dull with the arrival of the ninth day, Nabami.
The last day of the festival is called Dashami, when in the afternoon the idol is to be immersed.
Before immersion, the goddess is adored by married women, as it is thought that our daughter is going back to her inlaws house, and will be coming back only after one year, all ladies apply sindur on the forehead of the idol, touches some sweets to her mouth and wipes her tear with betel leaves. Afterwards, they apply the sindur on each other, its a beautiful ritual called "sindurkhela".
Before immersion, the goddess is adored by married women, as it is thought that our daughter is going back to her inlaws house, and will be coming back only after one year, all ladies apply sindur on the forehead of the idol, touches some sweets to her mouth and wipes her tear with betel leaves. Afterwards, they apply the sindur on each other, its a beautiful ritual called "sindurkhela".
Nowadays, this immersion, which is called "Bhasan" has also become a programme, as lots of young men and women dance and joins the procession.
After the idols are immersed, the holy water of the river is to be brought back to the pandal, and sprinkled on everybody, as we pray for peace.
The sadness of the farewell of the goddess is forgotten in the programme "Bijoya", as youngers touch feet of elders and sweets are distributed among all. With this happy note, the festival Durgapuja ends, and the waiting starts for one more time.
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