MORE THAN 300 YEARS OLD DURGAPUJAS IN THE OUTSKIRT OF DURGAPUR STEEL CITY.

MORE THAN 300 YEARS OLD DURGAPUJAS IN THE OUTSKIRT OF DURGAPUR STEEL CITY.

Durgapuja in the city’s banedi baris is all about tradition where the pujas are performed in the true manner with its elaborate customs and rituals

Autumn has arrived and the beautiful view of the clear blue sky decked with cottony clouds is getting complimented by the Kash flowers swaying their white heads merrily in the gentle breeze. The bright weather, the freshly washed greens gleaming with dewdrops, the notes of ‘agamani ’ and the mild fragrance of ‘Siuli ’ flowers wafting through the atmosphere are tugging at the heartstrings of the City people and making a smile light up their faces. The long wait for the arrival of this season which marks the festival of Durga Puja – the favourite festival of Bengal is finally knocking at the door and so the Steel City has now flooded with numerous community (Baroyari) Pujas at every street corners with huge funds, grand mannered towering pandals and lavish décor with galaxies of twinkling lights or depicting famous architectural splendors and others; yet the traditional ethnic Durgapujas at the outskirt of this city still gaining prominence because of their gorgeousness and deep devotional fervour.

Like previous years the family Puja of the Zaminder family, the Babu Paribar of Amrai is going to be celebrated with pomp and grandeur in their Durgamandir with a blend of tradition and religion fervour. Sanat Chattopadhayay the senior most member of this family says, “We are celebrating this Puja for nearly 300 years. Late Golaknath Chattopadhayay is the founder of this Puja and the large Durgamandir, Laxmi Janardan Mandir, Bhog Mandir all have been constructed by his son Hari Prosad Chattopadhayay during the tenure of his Zamindary. Besides Durgapuja, many other festivals and ritual functions like Dol Yatra, Ratha Yatra are being celebrated here. Moreover here is separate arrangement for Nittya Puja of Laxmi Janardan.”

The family still maintains the specialty in preserving the age-old tradition of making the idols. Months before the Puja the artisan from nearby village Icchhapur comes with the group to make the idols inside the Mandir. Shri Kalipada Sutradhar, says, “We are making the idols of this Babu Paribar hereditarily since the time of my great grandfather.”

Sourindra Mohan Chattopadhayay an active member of this family looking after the Debattar Estate for a long time mentions, “All the expenditures for this festival and others are maintained from the Debattar Estate. Till today sebaits are not to bear any expenditure of their own. We feel proud for maintaining our tradition till now.”

Durga Puja begins from the day of Sasthi and the idol is adored with dresses, ornaments and weapons, which are dedicated to the Goddess by the members of this family as a tribute. On the day of Saptami; Puja starts with the bathing ritual of Nabapatrika (Kalabou). It is an elaborate and important affair of this family. Long procession accompanied with Dhaki, Shehnai and Kanshi proceeds to the pond nearby. In the wide blue sky with fleecy white clouds and the mild fragrance of Siuli, glimpses of swaying Kash in the nearby fields and the chanting of mantras in a high and deep tone of the priests fill up the atmosphere of the Sharadiya Puja. The Nabapatrika adorned in red-bordered yellow saari with vermillon smeard on its leaves is carried on a decorated Palki and after the holy bath the procession comes to the Mandir. Crowds of people welcome the procession. Women standing with mangalghat welcome the procession offering uludhani in chorus. When the palanquin enters the temple women with devotion perform the traditional worth seeing ritual ‘Dola Baran’.

While asking about the speciality of this Puja the other members say that Saptasati Yagna, an oblation is the special function of this family on the day of Mahastami. In earlier days eminent Pandits used to perform such Yagna. Presently Prosanta Bhattacharjee and Basudeb Chatterjee conduct the entire worship and Subhash Mukherjee is helping the priests to make the Pujas success since a long years most devotedly. Sandhi Puja is also being celebrated in a vigorous and enthusiastic manner. Crowds of people gather during this time to offer their prayers There is no ritual of animal sacrifice in this Puja. Sandharati during all these three days is another attractive function here. The rumbling of dhaks, shrill notes of shehnai, frangnance of Dhup Dhuno and the unbound joy of the teens and youths dressed with new clothes of vibrant colours fills the sanctum and create a heavenly milieu. Cultural functions like Drama, Kirtan or Popular Band Songs are arranged to enhance the attraction of this family festival. Family members from distant areas even from abroad and their relatives all come to join this festival every year and they all say, “it’s the time for our home coming as well as to celebrate the Puja together. No work, no tension - only enjoyment, adda and gossip. Thus we pass our puja days every year. ”

‘I eagerly wait for this day to attend my mama baari’s banedi pujo particularly in the Sandhikshan which immensely attracts me for its elaborateness and rituality. I attend almost all the renowned Puja pandels of Steel Township but the charming image of this idol captivates me much’- says Dr. Suparna Banerjee, Professor.

In the day of Bijayadashami all the members of the family assemble in the Mandap and join the Shrutipath anusthan to bid adieu the Goddess with a lot of earthly demands folding their hands in front of their Mother like Rupang Dehi, Jayang Dehi, Jasho Dehi, Disho Jahi - Oh God give me health, wealth, devotion, vigour and energy to live here peacefully. “After completion of all ritual, transfer of enkindled lamp (Pradeep) from the Durgamandir to Bishnumandir is the most vital function here. Everybody believes here that all the goodness of this family depends upon the safe transfer of this “pradeep” – says the senior most female member Karunamayee Chattopadhyay, 92 of this family.

In the evening married women bid farewell to the mother smearing vermilion to the ‘Kalabou’ and then applying the sacred vermilion to each other with the hope of passing their lives most happily. In the evening everybody joins the procession for immersion of the Goddess and afterwards the male members of this family assemble for ‘aparajita dharan’ in the chandimandap and ends in the euphoric episode of Bijayalingan (embracing), Pronam to the elders begins with blessings and sweetmeats mainly homemade varieties of narus .

Another important contemporary family puja is celebrated in the Roy Paribar of this village. They have constructed a large mandir in the year 2003 spending more than 15 lac of rupees. Such type of architectural precedence in any mandir is rare seen in this Durgapur Asansol Industrial belt. It is learnt from the senior member of this family that during the reign of Nawab Alibardi Khan some members of this family being threatened by the torture of the Bargis came to Durgapur and settled in this village permanently with their family goddess. The city was then nothing but a dense forest. Instead of industrial sirens and the din and bustle of this busiest city, roaring of wild animals was heard and people fear to venture in their locality when dark. From the late eighteen-century they are celebrating this Festival in a gorgeous manner. Bhakti Pada Roy and Shanti Roy, senior members of this family say, “Nearly before 300 years ago our forefathers started this Puja. Afterwards many members from the Mukherjee, Banerjee and Chatterjee family also became the part and parcel of this Puja.” Now it is completely a joint effort of ten to twelve families of this Para – say Nimai Mukherjee, Samar Mukherjee and others. Bathing ritual ceremony is also very attractive here. Almost all the family pujas observe the rituality and other formalities in the same manner. Priyanath Chattopadhyay and others say, “Ritual of animal sacrifice on the days of Mahashtami and Mahanavami is the most important function in this Puja. On the day of Dashami, Naranarayan Seba is the special function here. More than 10,000 people irrespective of caste and creed of this village and other surrounding areas join this function to take the Prosad of Goddess Durga.” The enthusiastic activity of all the members of this Puja Committee towards celebration of this large programme is really appreciable which establishes immense cordiality and communal harmony among the people as a whole here in this industrial belt.

In Saha Paribar of this village Durgapuja festival is celebrated in a very homely atmosphere for more than 250 years. Bholanath Saha established the family puja in the early 17th Century on the divine command received in a dream by his wife Anandamayee Devi says Dwarikanath Saha of this family. Shanti Saha, presently the only member of this family takes entire responsibility of this Puja. There is no ritual of animal sacrifice here instead Pumpkins (Chalmumros) and sugarcanes are offered in the sandhikshan of Mahastami and Mahanavami.

In Bhattacherjee paribar the family puja is celebrated for a long time. No idols are made here and the pujas are performed on the consecrated pitcher (Mangal Kalash) and the portrait of Devi Durga. Rituals of animal sacrifices are a special function here on Mahastami and Mahanavami.

In this village now many new colonies have been set up and they are also celebrating the Durga Puja nicely for a few years. To mention a few the Puja of Indraprastha and School Para are most attractive.

In village Patswora, nearest this City Durgapuja festival is celebrated for more than 200 years. It is learnt from Timir Baran Chattopadhyay, of that village that most probably in the year 1800 Niranjan Ganguly started this family puja and till now it is continuing by his grandsons traditionally. Sanjib Chattopadhyay says, “The most attraction of this Puja is the immolation of calf buffalo on the day of Mahanavami; which symbolizes the end of Mahishasura’s tyranny. Presently the senior member of this family immolates the calf and crowds of people gather to enjoy this programme”. Perhaps in this city the custom of calf buffalo sacrifice is not done anywhere now.

In nearby village like Kandeswar, Kururia, Dhandabag Durgapujas are also celebrated in a nice way traditionally since decades together. Though there is no attractive mandirs or any dazzling beauty of the pandals, yet these age old traditional pujas are still important to the villagers for their devoutness, piety and rituality and the whole outskirt enlivens during these days of sharadiya utsabs for such age old traditional family Pujas.

 

Kanchan Kumar Chatterjee.  (Already Published in The Times of India - Durgapur Asansol Plus)

Durgapur.