What does Durga pujo mean to a Bengali? Vitality and teeming
crowds, combining celebration with positive social action, Durga Pujo is a
joyous occasion for all Bengalis in or outside Kolkata. In Bengal we have 13
festivals in 12 months of the year and Durga pujo is the crowning glory in our
theme of revelries. Durga pujo in the City of Joy is like the Mardi Gras
Carnival of Brazil.
The preparations start at least six months in advance, when
the constructions of the elaborate pandals start. If you are part of a pujo
organising committee, you tend to spend most of your time snooping around and
trying to know what your rival organising committee is designing this time.
The trendy young ladies start racking their brains to come
up with exclusive blouse and churidar designs which are given to tailors at
least four months in advance. Two months before the pujo, the tailors flatly
refuse to take orders even if you suck up to them in your best charming manner.
If you have any talent in music or dance, you volunteer for
the local pandal as this is the perfect platform for winning accolades and
attention. There will also be a ‘Natak’ or drama that will be performed by
members of the organising committee. The rehearsals for this would start at
least two months in advance. The participants would slog during the weekends or
late into the night after ‘apish’ to give a perfect performance on the D-day.
The dance, drama and musical programs by the local talent would be complemented
by performances of renowned artists of Kolkata on Ashtami or Navami. From Shashti
to Dashami, even the unkempt boy who wears baggy jeans and scruffy shirts would
show up in the pandals in clean kurtas. During the day, women would wear
designer sarees, but during the evenings many prefer to give the traditional
wear a miss for chic cocktail wear. But the lal par shada saree remains a
perennial favourite. A selfie wearing the white saree with the red border and a
big red bindi is a must in front of the Durga idol. The same must also be
uploaded as a Facebook profile picture.
Even Pele the legend from Brazil did the most Bengali thing
feasible as he visited a Durga Pujo Pandal with Sourav Ganguli this year.
Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of Bengal also is not immune from the
festive cheer. She decided to showcase her musical talent this year by penning
the Durga pujo theme of Suruchi Sangha, one of the popular Pujo pandals of South
Kolkata. Last year, she had started her celebrations by painting the third eye
on the forehead of the idol of Durga at the Chetla Agrani Club in South
Kolkata. The artist who had created the idol was presumably thrilled and
delighted by the talented Chief Minister’s efforts to enhance his creation.
But the common Bengali would be quite content during this
time with a bellyful of grub and gelusil in his pocket.
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