Enchanting Durga Puja of Kolkata

Durga Puja is undoubtedly one of the most joyful and grandest times in the city of Kolkata. Durga Puja is not just a festival, but an emotion in which the entire city of joy gets immersed. The festival is much more than just a festival or a ritual of welcoming Maa Durga, it is something that touches the hearts, souls and the vet essence of every resident inhabiting the city. One of the most important and auspicious festivals of Sanatan Dharma, Durga Puja is a Divine spectacle for which the residents of Kolkata wait for the entire year. The festival is an intangible part of Bengali culture, which encompasses ancient heritage. The festival is like a gala event that breathes new life into the city and it transforms into an artistic fairyland with magnificent pandals and dazzling idols of Maa Durga, mostly accompanied by Maa Saraswati, Lord Ganesh, Lord Karthik, and Maa Laxmi. Mahishasura Mardini, which is another name of Maa Durga is the ultimate symbol of triumph of good over evil and Dharma over Adharma.   

As per Legends mentioned in ancient scriptures, Maa Durga slayed the shape-shifting mighty buffalo demon Mahishasura after a long and fierce battle. Maa Durga vanquished  Mahishasura on the day of Vijay Dashami after a battle that lasted ten days. The legend of Maa Durga and Mahishasur is narated in the Devi Mahatmya, which is a part of Markandeya Purana.  Durga Puja, apart from its religious, spiritual and devotional significance, also has a deeper impact on the geographic culture of Kolkata and West Bengal, its food, and mainly its history.

History of Durga Puja

Durga puja in Kolkata starts with the onset of Mahalaya, which signifies the end of Pitru Paksha. With Mahalaya, the festival of Navratri also begins, which marks the beginning of Durga Puja. During the eve of Navratri, the nine forms of Maa Durga are being worshipped, and each one has its unique significance. Durga Puja falls in the Hindu month of Ashwin (usually in September - October). It is believed that Lord Rama worshipped and performed the puja of Maa Durga before he went out to war against Ravana. Since this ritual was performed in the autumn and was different from the traditional Durga Puja that happens during the spring season (Basant), it is called akal-bodhan puja. The term akal-bodhan means akal (out of season) and bodhan (worship).

The Durga Puja in Kolkata and in West Bengal still resembles the Durga of Aihole and Mahabalipuram which dates back to the 7th century. Maa Durga along with her four children (Kartika, Ganesha, Saraswati and Lakshmi) are seen as the supreme protector and the provider of health, wealth, prosperity and knowledge. It is believed that Maa Durga with her children come to Her father’s house from Kailash, which is the abode of Lord Shiva, Her husband. She stays here for nine days of the Navratri festivities, and on the tenth day (Vijay Dashami), She returns back to Her home. Thus, Durga Puja is almost like welcoming the daughter to her home, and the puja is more like a family affair.

There is an interesting story behind the question - who started the Durga Puja in Kolkata? The Durga Puja origin in West Bengal can be credited to the twelve friends of Guptipara of Hooghly district. They collaborated and raised collections from the local residents to begin the first community Durga Puja, which was called as ‘Baro-Yari Puja’ or the puja of the twelve friends. The concept of Baro-Yari Puja was brought to the city of Kolkata by Raja Harinath of Cossimbazar, who mainly performed puja earlier in his ancestral home at Murshidabad district from 1824 to 1831. The concept of Baro-Yaari puja paved the way for the Sarbojanin Durga Puja or community puja in 1910. It started when Sanatan Dharmotsahini Sabha organized the first truly community puja in Baghbazar, Kolkata. It had full people’s contribution, people’s participation, and also people’s control.

Today, Durga Puja has an immense influence on the culture and traditions of Kolkata and West Bengal which can be noticed even in the daily lives of people. Durga Puja is just not limited to the Bengali community but people from all sects of the society come collectively to celebrate this Divine grand festival.

How is Durga Puja celebrated in Kolkata?

The preparations for the grand festival are also colossal just like the magnitude of its traditional values. The work of initiating and preparing for the festivities starts months before the actual festival. A blueprint is prepared in which each and every detail is taken care of, right from making of the idols, setting up the pandals, decking up the decorations, and deciding the themes for each Puja pandal. The heritage and art of Durga Puja have attracted the entire world towards itself, which was finally recognized by UNESCO as a tangible world heritage in 2021.

There are hundreds of clubs and organizations in the city that conduct the Durga puja. Many of them are renowned and attract a heavy amount of crowds every year due to their unique themes, designs and cultural programs. The idols of Maa Durga are made in the narrow lanes of Kumartuli, also known as the potter’s colony. This area is famous for making idols for every puja and other festivals. Durga Idols are made from eco-friendly materials, primarily straw, hay, dry grass and clay. It takes months to give shape to Maa Durga and other idols of Laxmi, Ganesh, Saraswati, and Karthik before sending them off to their respective pandals. There are some famous sculptors whose idols are not only in demand in Kolkata or West Bengal but also in other parts of India and abroad as well.

The idols are of various designs, shapes and sizes. They are easily the most important part of the festival and months of hard work goes into giving them shape. Some idols are customized and are prepared in accordance with the theme of the particular pandals. On the other end, the construction of the pandals also begins almost a month or two prior to the festival. These pandals are being made based on the different theme designs which are picked by the organizing committees. Durga pandals in Kolkata are considered as masterpieces of artwork and imagination. The themes of the pandals are generally a resemblance of some famous place, some unique design of the creator or on the basis of some social and devotional message. Many of these pandals are huge in size and are stunningly beautiful. They are like an art gallery whose beauty cannot be described just by using words.

The pandals are constructed with the teamwork of carpenters, decorators, artists, painters, and even set designers who give shape to these artistic structures. They are the home of Maa Durga for the next nine days of the festival and the place for devotees to visit and worship Maa Shakti. The streets of Kolkata also get an equal share of decoration and are decked with advertising banners and colorful designer lights which change their appearance completely. The nights of Durga Puja look especially stunning as the combination of the decorative lights, pandals, and illumination across the city makes it look like a wonderland. The city is enveloped in a Divine aura and on the morning of Mahalaya, with the chants of Mahishasura Mardini on the radio by Birendra Krishna Bhadra, the festival kicks off, starting nine days of extravaganza and devotion.

Nine days of Durga Puja and its significance

The Durga Puja starts with Navratri and it is celebrated throughout the nine/ten days, worshipping nine different forms of Maa Durga. The last five/six days of the festival namely Panchami, Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Nabami and Dashami are most significance. Durga Puja is celebrated both in homes and in Puja pandals. During the Puja devotees perform Puja and worship on a daily basis with devotion to the Devi. The Puja period is considered as the best time of the year to worship and revere Goddess Shakti (Durga) and seek Her blessings for good health, wealth, protection and prosperity. The time is also ideal to immerse oneself in Shakti Sadhana which is mostly done by Shakti Sadhaks.   

What is special about Durga Puja Celebrations in Bengal/Kolkata                        

The Durga Puja brings in a new life to the city and the state, awakening it to an auspicious, jovial and high-energy state. People of the city wait for the entire year just for the five days of Durga Puja. From Panchami to Maha Dashami, the dynamics of the city change completely.

On one side, the clubs and organizers gear up to celebrate the festivals, on the other side the devotees of Maa Durga get ready for the magnificent five days of devotion and festivities. Durga puja has a significant impact on the economy and trade of the state. It is one of the biggest contributors to boosting of the GDP during that Puja season. Before the festival starts, the shopping spree of people gets on full throttle. People flock to stores, malls and every single shop to buy new clothes and other things for the Durga Puja. This trade is believed to go in millions during the festive season. Shops and streets are jampacked with shoppers and it becomes a difficult thing to make your way through the shopping areas at that time of the year. The foodies also have a blast, both before and during the Durga puja festival in Kolkata. There are many food outlets and famous restaurants which become a haven for food lovers. They offer delicious Bengalis and many other cuisines for the shoppers and later on pandal hoppers during the festive times.

The duration of Durga Puja is the most joyous holiday period for the people of Kolkata and West Bengal. People come out and do pandal hopping right from the day the pandals are inaugurated and are opened up for the public. Lakhs of revelers, children, adults, teenagers, senior citizens, everyone is super excited and full of enthusiasm to celebrate the Durga Puja festival. The unique themed Pujas are advertised even before the festival begins to attract huge footfall. Young revelers join in groups and enjoy the puja festival with a full night out plans, hopping from one pandal to another. The sound of the dhaks echoes across the sky during the aarti period. The Maha Ashtami Pushpanjali is considered one of the most sacred offerings to Maa Durga. Boys and girls get into their traditional attire and offer Pushpanjali to Maa Durga.

Theme pandals are the biggest attraction for everybody. Earlier, the puja was performed in the traditional way and designer themes were not used much. However, over the years, the trend has changed a lot and the theme has taken a dominant position in executing the puja pandal designs. There are hundreds of Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata and countless outside the city. However, some remain a must-visit Durga Puja pandal during the festive time.

Shreebhumi Club, based in the Lake Town area of Kolkata always remains a prominent attraction for puja pandal hoppers of Kolkata.

Other famous and unmissable Puja pandals in the city that are spread from North to South are:

·       Hathibagan Sarbajonin

·       Nalin Sarkar Street Durgotsav

·       Dum Dum Park Tarun dal

·       Ahiritola Sarbojonin Durgotsav

·       Kashi Bose Lane

·       Tala Prattoy

·       Suruchi Sangha

·       Santosh Mitra Square

·       Bagbazar

·       Ballygunge Cultural Association Puja Pandal

·       College Square

·       Hindustan Park

·       Hindustan Club

·       Tridhara Akalbodan

·       Deshapriya park

·       66 Pally

·       Mudiali

·       Chetla Agrani

·       Ajaysangathi Club

·       Behala Friends Club

·       75 Pally

Durga puja ends with Maha Dashami or Vijaya Dashami. It is the day when Maa Durga leaves her devotees and makes her journey back to Her heavenly abode of Kailash. It is the day when Bengalis all around the world are struck with a mixed feeling of happiness and grief. The ten days of Durga Puja was an emotional roller-coaster for them which had an adrenaline rush. On the last day of Durga Puja, when it is time to bid farewell to Maa Durga, women after completion of puja engage in the traditional ritual of Sindur Khela.  In this, married women apply each other vermillion and pray for the long lives of their husbands. This ritual is mainly performed after the ceremony of Boron where women do the custom of bidding Audie to Maa Durga and others, in the same way when a married woman leaves for her in-law's place.

It becomes an emotional moment for everyone as the daughter of the house will leave the father’s place and go back to her husband. The idols are then laden on trucks and trolleys for their final journey toward the immersion spot where they shall make their way back to their home. The city and the skies are filled with chants of ‘Bolo Bolo Durga Mai Ki Jai’ which means Hail Maa Durga. ‘Ashe Bochor abar Hobe’ which signifies that next year the festivity will take place again. Many are in tears as the idols of Maa Durga move towards the banks of river Ganga, and with a splash it immerses into the depths of the river, saying goodbye to everyone.  Durga Puja is such an emotion that cannot be explained in words but can be felt and experienced. It is a bond that a mother has with her child, and there is no other more beautiful experience than this.   

As Maa Durga departs for Her home, devotees with folded hands and closed eyes pray to Her with tears, wishing for peace and happiness in their lives. They yearn to see Maa Durga soon next year and the wait begins, with the chants of ‘Asche Bochor Abar Hobe...Jai Maa Durga’.