Durga Puja..!!

Durga Puja- The most happening festival of the Bengalis!! 

Durga Puja epitomises the victory of Good over Evil.The puja is traditionally viewed as the coming of married daughter, Durga to her father's home. Bengalis all over the world during the days of Durga Puja, rejoice to their heart's content reconnecting with friends and relatives. It is an occasion when the familiar sound of Dhaak, Dhunuchi nachh, the mild fragrance of Shiuli, gives a familiar tug to every Bengali heart. 

For me, Durga puja,is & will always remain a very special occasion! I know that in Kolkata,it is celebrated in a very grand & magnificent way. So, may be its not exactly the same way that we celebrate it in Lucknow, but still we enjoy,have fun & celebrate it in our own special way!! 

The name of our committee which organizes Durga Puja is "Milon Shongho", which comprises of 40+ bengali families. Every year my sister & I eagerly wait for this festival to come. Durga Puja mood starts off with "Mahishashur Mardini"which is a radio programme which has been popular with the community since 1950s. Bengalis usually wake up at 4 am on Mahalaya day to listen to this programme.

Excitement starts much before the festival mainly because of the new clothes that we buy & the gifts which we receive from our relatives! And, sometimes its due to the rehearsals of our dance programmes which we perform during durga puja.

There is a park just in front of our house and the pandal is set up there. I can see from my room's window, when the grass in the park is cleared and the bamboo sticks are brought, in order to create the basic structure of the pandal.  I feel super excited when I see that!! And then my countdown begins.I keep counting in my mind "ok, just 3 more days left..2 more days left"....

Pandals are the temporary temples created for the Puja. Padals are of diverse kinds. And,in Kolkata, some pandals are made of simple yet attractive cloths while some are made up of kullads, cococut shells, diyas, toffee wrappers, straws, cold drink bottles etc.results of great imagination and hard work.

The days of fun and festivity start off with Shoshti, the day when goddess Durga arrives. Followed by, Shoptumi, Oshtumi, Nobomi, and the day of farewell, Doshumi. On the day of Chaturthi, the 'protima'(idol) of goddess Durga is brought by the Uncles(kakus n jethus) of our colony! Then the decoration of the pandal is done by all the youngsters!I remember,once we had soo much fun decorating that place..till late night!

The very next day,Panchami, in the morning we have art competition for the kids, Even I participated in many & won lots of prizes. I still have one drawing sheet in which I had sketched Goddess Durga. The end result was very nice & I received the 2nd prize for it! :) Then in the evening,we have 'Anand Mela'. Now that's when all the member families of the committee put stalls of yummy and mouth watering eatables . My mom & dad always put 'KABAB PARATHA' stall. Actually I shoud say "THE FAMOUS KABAB PARATHA STALL'. My parents make really very delicious mutton keema kababs. Both of them are such awesome cooks.The dish is quite famous & in demand every year! :) 

The next day,Shoshti,at around 5:30 in the morning we go for "Prabath Pheri"...which is like an early morning mini-procession.In all the six happy days,we get up early,wear our new clothes and go to the park to give 'pushpanjali'. 

My post would be incomplete if I do not mention about the BHOG which we have during puja days. If u ever give me 'khichdi n chorchori (a bengali dish) at home, I wont like it that much.But the same thing when I have it there in the pandal as bhog, it tastes very different & delicious. After having the bhog, we stay in the pandal only & chat chat & chat! We dont feel like going back home! 

The evening time is wonderful, specially the Aarti time! When the aarti is going on..the kakus(uncles) & dadas start the "dhunuchi nachh" (meaning a dance holding hot earthen bowls emanating sweet smelling camphor and incense smoke) & we sit in the side,clapping & hooting! After some time the dhunuchi dance is over & our "Pagalpanti Dance" begins. All the youngsters get inside & become mad,literally,on the beats of DHAAK! 

After the Aarti, everyday we have some cultural programmes..orchestra,drama,dance performances,magic show,etc etc etc. We all enjoy watching these shows & have our dinner in the pandal only as all the moms do not want to enter the kitchen during those 6 days of festivity.We stay in the park till late night, sit & chat, what we call  "adda mara"...in bengali!! ;) Second last day,on Navami...we all, the 'bacha' group go out to see the other pandals in the city. The entire city springs to life and the streets are full of people. At night, I start feeling sad. The mere thought that the next day it is  Dashmi..it will all be over, makes me upset!! :(

The Last day..Dashmi,in the morning,all the married women start their "shidur khela"...which means married women smear one another with sindur and pray for long and happy married lives n sometimes they put that red thing on our face also...:P  After the lunch,its "bishorjon" (visarjan) time..!! The idol is taken for immersion. We all go to the banks of Gomti. We dance like mad people and enjoy to the fullest. We scream on the top of our voices- 

"Aamra kara..Milon shongho..ashche bochor aabaar hobe..hobe hobe aabaar hobe".(meaning..we are Milon Shongho..next year we'll again have durga puja, all this fun and again Maa Durga will visit us and shower her blessings on us).

Then finally we reach the Ghat n bid goodbye to the goddess...When we come back,the 'pronaam' session begins..n we wish everyone.."shubho bijoya"..(happy dushera).... These special 6 days remain glowing in people's mind like a glittering diamond whose shine can never fade.

Durga Puja every year is a fun time for me..!! It leaves behind wonderful memories to cherish...& I feel so lucky that I'm able to experience this amazing festival..as I'm a Bengali.. Proud to be one..!! :)