The hundreds of makeshift junk-food stalls, the crawling traffic of frantic shoppers, the blaring noise of devotional and Bollywood item songs, and the anticipating, shining faces of Puja revellers; yes, Durga Puja is definitely upon us! As the festival season kick-starts with the celebration of Maa Durga, one cannot help but be lost in this frenzy gripping Eastern India.
It’s the time of mouth-watering sweets, melodious songs, dance-till-you-drop dandiya, over the top fashion, feverish shopping sprees, and above all, unadulterated devotion! Durga Puja spans over a period of ten days in case of traditional and household Pujas. The main part of it is, however, restricted to four days only and starts on the evening of 'Shashthi'. The start of the festival sees huge, elaborately crafted statutes of Goddess Durga installed in homes and beautifully decorated pandals all over the city. At the end of the festival, the statutes are paraded through the streets, accompanied by much music, dancing and celebration, and then immersed into the Ganga.
The biggest attraction of the Puja festivities, however, are the thematically done-up Pandals. Ornately decorated with minute detailing, complete with resplendent idols of the Goddess prevailing over the demon king Mahishasura, they are a sight to behold. This year too, hundreds of pandals have sprouted up almost overnight throughout the state capital, Patna, but it’s no secret that they have been painstakingly built over the past few days, primly covered up while in progress to keep them away from the public eye and build the anticipation of the audience.
According to sources, last year, more than 800 Puja Samitis, big and small, vied to outdo each other in and around Patna. This year, this number may have easily crossed 1000, says Amit Sinha, secretary of Bengali Akhada in Machchuatoli. Sinha reveals that when it comes to worshipping Maa Durga, no expense is spared, be it on water-proof pandals or on elaborate bhog distribution arrangements. “This is the 119th year of Durga Puja celebrations for the Bengali Akhada. Here, we highlight more on pure Kolkata style celebrations,” he adds.
Secretary of PWD Puja Samiti, Sriraj, says that along with themes and decoration, audience engagement has also assumed great importance nowadays. “We have been celebrating Durga Puja here since 90 years, and along the way, the mode of celebration has evolved. We put up food and game stalls, hold musical nights and quiz competitions et al to provide age-specific entertainment for everyone. We understand that Pujas are a time to enjoy and bond with family as much as they are a time of devotion,” he explains.
The Puja Samitis spent crores on the special lighting effects and for hiring expert pandal decorators and sculptors from West Bengal. According to an estimate, around Rs 20 crore was spent on Puja celebrations in the city last year, with over 1000 Puja pandals across the city and its suburban areas. No wonder then, that the grandeur of the pandals remains a talking point for the city residents for a long time. Some pandals are created painstakingly – like the ones at Dak Bunglow crossing, Rajabazar, Kalibari, Bengali Akhada, PWD, Kankerbagh, Boring Road crossing, etc -- and with so much meticulous detailing that people from all over Bihar throng them.
“It’s a sight to behold – people numbering in thousands come to participate and seek the blessings of Maa Durga here,” says D Sengupta, treasurer of Patna Kalibari in Yarpur. “So high is the number of visitors that during saptami and ashtami, the task of distributing free bhog to revelers starts around mid-day and continues till late in the evening! A incredibly long queue stretches in front of Kalibari,” he exclaims. This year too, one can expect a breathtaking showcase of artistry and craftsmanship as the Puja Samitis strive to recreate palaces, forts, temples and monuments for the benefit of the onlooker.
“Pandal hopping constitutes the best part of Durga Puja celebrations. Some of these pandals are so beautiful, they take your breath away!” enthuses Sharmistha, a student of BCom second year. “True, and the fact that there’s yummy food being dished out at the fast food stalls around the pandals, make the Pujas so much fun. I absolutely love the bhel-puri and kulfi combo,” adds her friend, Kanupriya, a self-confessed foodie.
However, for BTech student Kumar, shopping is the biggest draw of the Puja season. “I make it a point to buy, whatever electronic items I require, during the Puja season as one can expect to get the best deals around this time of the year,” he says. “Plus, purchasing new stuff during the Pujas is considered auspicious too. So, for me, the Pujas are the most suitable time to buy gadgets ” he explains.
Many people share his view about getting a good deal. Subhash, a law student, has just got himself a newly launched tab with discounted one-year 3G pack deal. However, some, like engineer Amit Kumar who has booked a sedan, are still waiting to take possession. “The car model I’ve chosen is currently unavailable. According to the showroom manager, the vehicle can only be made available to me after October 8,” he rues.
But they are minor disappointments in the larger scheme of things. Caught up in the celebrations, not many seem to be minding such small inconveniences. “Patna is all spruced up for the upcoming festivals. And though the roads are mostly clogged with perpetual traffic jams and it’s a pain to travel within the city, very few people actually mind it. But that’s to be expected: after all, the atmosphere of fun and gaiety is absolutely infectious,” says art manager Manisha Chourasia, who is looking forward to buying clothes for herself for the Puja season.
Some, like Shobha Sen, turn nostalgic at the mention of Durga Puja. Having settled in Bihar from Bengal around three decades ago, she recalls the stories and legends behind the Puja: “Goddess Durga is worshipped because she vanquished the demon Mahishasura and restored the heavens to the gods. But more than that, I believe we worship the phenomenon of good prevailing over evil, the positive surmounting the negative, the feminine form defeating the beast who was undefeatable.”
She also feels that now more than ever, the time is ripe to recall and put to good use, the learnings from Durga Puja: of positive forces vanquishing the negative forces. “New evils like corruption have reared their head; they need to be destroyed with positive tools,” she adds. Indeed, different people, different thoughts. But one common feeling of joyous exuberance running through all of them. That’s Durga Puja for you.
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