Durga Puja : Blogs (2022)

 The Memory of festivities

23.9.2022

As Durga pujo approaches, thakurdalans throughout Bengal have begun to come back to life. For me they are like temporary celebrities, receiving the gift of a new coat of paint, seeing photographers and dressed-up family members for a week or two, only to go back to their forsaken state again for another year. And this fleeting obsession no wonder finds expression and promotion through Instagram. As I opened the app today, I could see nothing but numerous pictures of courtyard houses with half-completed idols. Some were grand structures with Belgian glass chandeliers, some not-so-fortunate ones with crumbling brick cornices, seemingly standing to fulfill their only function - preparing for the homecoming of the household's daughter.

However, the sad stories are left out of this narrative- the houses that do not witness the festivities anymore. And I cannot help but think of this picture I took last year in Saptami. The old picture is of the entire Mondal family of Chinsurah gathered together for Pujo, with an almost mocking reflection of its present, an empty courtyard inhabited by pigeons. The Mondol bari pujo still continues in a different house. But wait isn't that an idol in this nathmandir itself? Ironically that too wasn't for worship, but rather a shooting prop.

So strange to think of old houses like these filled with rich memories of pujo, almost asking to resume its long-gone gaiety with an idol ready in front, but a courtyard standing bare on an October afternoon. The sounds of distant dhak echoes through the empty dalan as ancestors hanging on walls stare at the bleak future of houses such as these.

Bonedi Pujo in COVID times

03.10.2022

I've been visiting Mondol bari of Gondolpara for the past 2 years. In the 2 times I've been there during Pujo, I've had two totally different experiences, both memorable. The first one was such a coincidence because me and my friends had lost our way in search of the house. Most locals couldn't help us out. Voila! We met none other than Neline Mondal on our way (many of you know her story of how she came from Belgium all the way to Chandannagar on behalf of UNESCO, and later married into this family. Or atleast you have seen her in Dadagiri I'm sure!), who guided us to her house. I couldn't be more thankful to her for accompanying us, telling us so much about local history, and even giving us "pujor prosad". The year was 2021, when most Bonedi families were unable to conduct Pujas. Mondol Bari didn't stop their centuries-old puja, yet the worldwide pandemic affected the scale of their festivities as well. 

This year's visit was on Shoshti. The ambiance in the household reminded me of the opening scene of "UTSAV"- the family gearing up for pujo, and the children waiting in the thakurdalan for the Idol to be completed, which was a bit delayed. Yet there was not a speck of disappointment, for everyone patiently and enthusiastically gazed at the young talented boy who did the "Chakkhu daan" of the goddess. As his fast yet graceful brush strokes brought life into the idol, I could not help but think- the timing of my visit couldn't be better. 

Return to the abode

05.10.2022

As Puja comes to an end with the goddess leaving for her husband's abode, one is inevitably reminded of the pain of leaving home, and how rituals often captured those familiar and familial sentiments. The Annpurna temple of Telenipara was established by the Bandyopadhyay family, notable zamindars of the area. Annapurna is worshipped here in the form of an ashtadhatu statue, accompanied by a silver statue of Shiva. 

The image of Shib-Annapurna (picture credit-Aniruddha Datta)

However, alongside this, the goddess is also worshipped separately during Durga Puja in the traditional "ekchala" idol. Other than the usual festivities like Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Shivaratri and others, another uniquely celebrated festival is the "Akshay Tritiya". On that day, Annapurna leaves the temple and travels around in a chariot (ratha), stopping infront of each house, inquiring about the state of households. She also generously offers bhog to her devotees. But now she is reluctant to return, for she cannot leave the temple for another year. She stops at Telinipara Barowaritola. It is then that the male members of the Bandyopadhyay family carry Lakshminarayan in a palquin to convince her to return, while the old family members sing-

"আনতে শিব-অন্নপূর্ণা
চলো সবাই যাই গো ত্বরা
অবসান হলো বা দিবা
উচিত নয় বিলম্ব করা"

(Let's hurry and bring back Shiv-Annapurna/ For the day comes to an end, we should not delay)

The chariot used on Akshay Tritiya

Annapurna returns home amidst a lot of festivities and rituals. Today seems like a good day to talk about this ritual, for Durga returns to Kailash today, maybe reluctantly, with a sad face just like her devotees, not to return for another year. As the separation brings a sense of melancholy among all Bengalis, one cannot help but recall the last line of the song- For the day comes to an end, we should not delay her return.

Subho Bijoya to all !

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