Ya devi sarvabhuteshu buddhi - rupena samsthita Namas tasyai, Namas tasyai, Namas tasyai namo namah.
(To that goddess who abides in all beings as intelligence : Sautaions to Thee...)
The new Durga Protima of Bengali Association of DFW
This is probably the first time during the past 10 years, I am feeling quite nostalgic during this ongoing Durga Puja. And the sole reason for that is city's Bengali Association which marked their 25th anniversary, put up a grand celebration and it exceeded all the expectations I had! It was 50 hours of sheer fun, Get Togethers, catching up with friends, addas, attired in traditional dresses, offering Pushpanjali, delicious meals for 3 days (basically no cooking at home!), Chanting Mantras amid rhythmic beating of Dhaks (drums), and each evening cultural functions and witnessing one which included legendary Usha Uthup too. It was so close the way we used to have it back then. How can I not feel nostalgic...
As I grew up in Hindi Mainland, the way we enjoyed Durga Puja was significantly different than what my cousins from Calcutta experienced. So while they had to wait for 6 longs days, thanks to Navratri, we started visiting different pandals right from the very day after Mahalaya. Then we were also "lucky" to take part in Dandiya/Garba dance each night, which they missed for sure. But the bong inside me was always eagerly waiting for the "shashti" evening (the 6th day) when our own Railway Institute will put up the newly brought statue of Goddess Durga in our very own Mandap thus starting 4 days of sheer festive excitement. Now this "bengali" Durga unlike Navratri ones, always comes (along with her 4 famous God Kids) riding a lion instead of a tiger..a distinct feature-difference to find if it is a Bengali Puja or a Non Bengali one..FYI).
Now based on the bong population of the city, or depending upon how many bengalis can stay "cordially together" for a certain amount of time, there might be more than one Durga Puja involved in the town. And as I was lucky belonging to that type of city where 4 such committees took pride in their existence, our next 3 days would be spent mainly on shuffling from one to another for Anjali, Bhog or even Orchestra/Jatras (theaters) and other cultural events. Even the most conservative parents would become quite liberal and their teenagers will bask in the glory of 4 days of uninterrupted freedom from domestic rules and regulations! But mind it..all these inter association friendship and all...those were just till the Navami (the 9th day). And on the 10th day which would also be the Visarjan, Immersion day( known as Dusherra too!) we are back to our core committee. All the camaraderie shared with our rival associations for past few days are suddenly vanished and thanks to that mysterious substance on that sorbet, gulped secretly minutes before immersion procession would begin...even a person like me was all out to shout and ready to fight with the members from the other club. Contentious issue varied from deciding the stoppage times on various spots on procession route, performing brotherly duties (rather showing heroism), settling old scores or even arguing whose protima will be honored to get immersed first. And then elderly members from both groups would come and make the settlement among these young hot and "quite influenced by now" blood. Yes...All in the backdrop of the Visarjan, Crackers and one final Dance with the Dhunuchi to impress the departing Goddess(es). Finally coming back to the empty pandal with a sombre mood, riding in that open truck with slogans of "Aschey Bachar Aabar habey" (next year again!) it would be time to get the "shanti jal", sweets and official inauguration of Subho Bijoya.
So though sad with the sudden void of activities around the empty mandap, for many of us the celebration would still continue for couple of weeks more....as in bengali tradition from that day till Diwali if you visit someone's home you shall be rewarded with Mishti Mukh (sweets!).
Subho Bijoya to you all!!!
