My husband's hometown is Jabalpur and as a result I have experienced festivals which I had never heard of before. Naag panchami where snake charmers play music from the gourd bugle and deftly handle their snakes, for a few rupees.Holika where the idols are displayed all around town the day before Holi. Holika being a villain in Hindu mythology, is liberally dressed in a bikini, with shades and a hat, in jeans, may be selling vegetables dressed in a tribal sari while sitting on a wood trolley/thela or other such creatively imaginative postures and costumes.
My husband appreciates, creates art and as a young person growing up in Jabalpur, he actively participated in all festivals by creating Ganpati, Durga Puja pandals and decorating the Tajia on Muharram. Hence he was very interested in seeing the Kolkata Durga Puja. I had heard about the crowds one encounters during Pandal hopping, hence I contacted my brother's friend and classmate who is a Senior Police Officer posted in Kolkata. I sure am glad I did.
We reached 4am early morning on Shashti but the streets were already lit up, Devi ma was adorning the pandals, young people on foot or bikes were roaming the streets; roadside eateries were serving food. I was told that instead of being a 4 day festival it had become a ten day one. Apparently there is also a Puja carnival which has been happening for past 2 years (I am guessing since right wing politics seemed to become popular) where the best Durga idols are floated past the dignitaries sitting on suitable temporary structure on roadside making sure they are seen on television, flagging them past. Politics and business/industry have to work synergistically to keep everyone happy. The commercial value of the ten day festival is clearly visible. Every few hundred metres there is a Puja Pandal, complete with beautiful lights and decorations, patrons, advertisements, stalls selling food, jewellery, toys and the expenditure incurred for the temporary structures which are on show for a short period of time is as spectacular as the Pujo itself.
We were asked to come to Tolly club that evening at 5.30 pm, from where we were supposed to go pandal hopping with the top cop. We reached the meeting place to realise there was a stage at the end of the room from where an official was laying out routes of Durga Puja pandals which were going to be assessed by "judges," esteemed men and women from all walks of life including diplomats, dancers, theatre personalities, journalists etc who had been divided into groups to be able to cover the vast city with the innumerable Pujo Pandals. We were going to gate crash the group headed by Mr Vivek Sahay, ADG Traffic. There seemed to be few actual named judges but a substantial tail of tag alongs like us who made up a convoy of 7-8 cars which were instructed to dedicatedly tail each other to ensure we did not lose time getting lost in traffic. We were following the ADG's car which had an easily identifiable sign near the licence plate- 3 stars! This was promising to be an interesting evening. We were soon feeling like celebrities as our convoy was given way by traffic policemen on busy roads and closer to our destinations, by the organisers of the Pujo being judged. As we got out of the cars looking like busy teachers needing to finish our assignment of assessing the Pujo, the crowds were barricaded at the entrance and held until we went inside and had our five minutes of looking around, experiencing the amalgamation of art, music, tradition, religion and intellectual expression in an empty pandal. One of the organisers would explain the theme to us while others would show the judges practical things like fire escapes, water source, municipal permission etc. Then we would request them to let the public in and would leave mostly quite overwhelmed by the themes, decorations and Ma Durga. Apparently Art students conceive the ideas for each project and build it from scratch to see their ideas conceptualise and come alive. Its a tremendous effort and herculean task but the honesty of the dedication comes through.
One of the Pandals was shaped like a ship, had the sound of crashing waves as one walked in while the Titanic music played on the inside for Ma Durga. Next one we went to had a respect for all religions as the theme and hence had Ma Durga in a Buddha pose (we saw another pagoda shaped pandal replete with Buddha, the revolving drums and dragons) with all the walls covered artistically in cut out symbols of the three main religions the Aum, the Cross and the Crescent Moon. It also had a sculpture of three babies tied together with a national flag lying in front of the Devi Ma. There was one with a war and world without borders theme which had a make believe aeroplane and paratroopers on the outside, walls full of photographs from the partition/1971 war. They had displays of all passports and other symbolic messages coming alive through their creativity all in presence of Ma Durga. I read later that one Puja Pandal, a replica of Harminder Sahib a sikh Gurudwara was termed blasphemous. I saw so many beautiful replica's of palaces, temples etc even I wondered if some day someone would take the liberty of making the Taj Mahal for instance and whether that would be considered blasphemous. Another pandal had a traditional Ma Durga in the centre but had pictures of iconic women on the sides which would change for instance every few seconds from looking like Mother Teresa to Ma Durga. It was very clever, tastefully done and beautiful.
The intellectual level of the Bengali Bhadralok creating the themes and pandals was making us awestruck even as we saw the thousands of ordinary people walking patiently, thronging the numerous pandals without any pushing, jostling, groping, pickpocketing. Kolkata has always held a special place in my heart and it raises the bar every time I visit it. Jai Ma Durga.
There were incredible displays of lights on gateways to the Puja Pandals. There were sculptures covered in lights some of them actually robotically moving ducks and Warring Gods or vertical cutouts outlining birds, animals, people which were live in their displays. We wondered if they were made in China but were told they came from Burdwan!
Pandals as high as multistoried buildings, covered on outside with jute cots or having a live robotic electrically operated model made of colourful threads artistically displayed, or having the replica of Sanchi Stupa gateway as halo to the Goddess, a pandal looking like a giant metal vessel with beautiful engravings, threads with bells at the end around the walls, rising smoke, visual depiction in 3D art of a poem about Radha Krishna, meditative music accompanying a light display which takes you deeper into the pandal, Devi ma in different avatars...there was no dearth of creative ideas. One pandal had an underwater theme with fishes, jelly fishes, shells etc and most importantly had Ma Durga looking like she was diving with her sari and hair tousled in one direction. That Devi ma so real, so modern yet so beautiful and awe inspiring, she was my favourite.
We went to the one where there were CCTV cameras and police presence due to the real gold jewellery that Ma Durga was wearing but to me the love of art and intellectual expression mattered more than whether the jewellery was real or not. I am a complete bore where such things are concerned. I don't see or remember jewellery, cannot tell real and designer from fake and street brand. Everything expensive is wasted on me as was a lot of the art which my husband was devouring like a hungry student.
Then we went to Belur Math. There I realised where the idea of having all religion motifs in a building came from. Belur Math the monastery founded by the young Swami Vivekananda, which is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission an organisation who believes in serving all people irrespective of caste, religion or race has Christian, Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu motifs in its architecture. It also has a huge painting outside of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhans saying- However many views, as many paths in English, Bangla and Hindi. Joto mot, toto poth.
Belur Math's Durga Puja is an antithesis to the light sound action, art glamour beauty of Kolkata. Ma Durga was modestly decorated, the puja with the Sanskrit mantras was on the public address system, people were asked to open their shoes, switch off mobiles and separate spaces were organised for men and women to sit and feel the peace in the atmosphere. I wish I could go back there again.
I managed to perform the Pushpanjali (flower offering to the Goddess) on Ashtami like we used to when we were children and my parents were around; in the Avni society's Barir Pujo. Apparently the smaller scale housing societies and home Pujos too have a competition within Barir Pujo or Home Pujo. It was great to be able to see and feel the presence of Ma Durga around me in the magnificently converted parking area. Initially I did not realise that the red bricks, the bay windows were not real and part of the Puja Pandal. Of course I had my ever discerning hubby by my side. We had luchi aloo too.
Final stop before we took the train from Kolkata was Bhog (food offered to the Gods) at our host's friend's place. It was a big mansion housing a big joint business family, with a beautiful Ma Durga whose idol was smaller in size but made up in beauty and sophistication. Though I must say I found two kids, cousin brothers dressed in black kurtas and Bengal Handloom dhotis looking the most dapper. The actual Bhog was delicious and special like all food served at religious ceremonies and out of temples and Gurudwaras. But that was followed by Bengali vegetarian and non vegetarian food including the traditional fish preparation served to us in a sit down lunch exclusively catered by the famous chain specialising in Bengali food, founded in 2003; 6, Ballygunge Place. I still savour the taste. Last time I experienced this lovingly served sequential fare while sitting down in rows in batches was when I was in high school in Asansol and attended weddings. I hope in times to come we will be able to capture videos of the flavours and aromas.
For now it the whole experience is locked in my soul and this is a small effort to share my pleasure.
My husband appreciates, creates art and as a young person growing up in Jabalpur, he actively participated in all festivals by creating Ganpati, Durga Puja pandals and decorating the Tajia on Muharram. Hence he was very interested in seeing the Kolkata Durga Puja. I had heard about the crowds one encounters during Pandal hopping, hence I contacted my brother's friend and classmate who is a Senior Police Officer posted in Kolkata. I sure am glad I did.
We reached 4am early morning on Shashti but the streets were already lit up, Devi ma was adorning the pandals, young people on foot or bikes were roaming the streets; roadside eateries were serving food. I was told that instead of being a 4 day festival it had become a ten day one. Apparently there is also a Puja carnival which has been happening for past 2 years (I am guessing since right wing politics seemed to become popular) where the best Durga idols are floated past the dignitaries sitting on suitable temporary structure on roadside making sure they are seen on television, flagging them past. Politics and business/industry have to work synergistically to keep everyone happy. The commercial value of the ten day festival is clearly visible. Every few hundred metres there is a Puja Pandal, complete with beautiful lights and decorations, patrons, advertisements, stalls selling food, jewellery, toys and the expenditure incurred for the temporary structures which are on show for a short period of time is as spectacular as the Pujo itself.
We were asked to come to Tolly club that evening at 5.30 pm, from where we were supposed to go pandal hopping with the top cop. We reached the meeting place to realise there was a stage at the end of the room from where an official was laying out routes of Durga Puja pandals which were going to be assessed by "judges," esteemed men and women from all walks of life including diplomats, dancers, theatre personalities, journalists etc who had been divided into groups to be able to cover the vast city with the innumerable Pujo Pandals. We were going to gate crash the group headed by Mr Vivek Sahay, ADG Traffic. There seemed to be few actual named judges but a substantial tail of tag alongs like us who made up a convoy of 7-8 cars which were instructed to dedicatedly tail each other to ensure we did not lose time getting lost in traffic. We were following the ADG's car which had an easily identifiable sign near the licence plate- 3 stars! This was promising to be an interesting evening. We were soon feeling like celebrities as our convoy was given way by traffic policemen on busy roads and closer to our destinations, by the organisers of the Pujo being judged. As we got out of the cars looking like busy teachers needing to finish our assignment of assessing the Pujo, the crowds were barricaded at the entrance and held until we went inside and had our five minutes of looking around, experiencing the amalgamation of art, music, tradition, religion and intellectual expression in an empty pandal. One of the organisers would explain the theme to us while others would show the judges practical things like fire escapes, water source, municipal permission etc. Then we would request them to let the public in and would leave mostly quite overwhelmed by the themes, decorations and Ma Durga. Apparently Art students conceive the ideas for each project and build it from scratch to see their ideas conceptualise and come alive. Its a tremendous effort and herculean task but the honesty of the dedication comes through.
One of the Pandals was shaped like a ship, had the sound of crashing waves as one walked in while the Titanic music played on the inside for Ma Durga. Next one we went to had a respect for all religions as the theme and hence had Ma Durga in a Buddha pose (we saw another pagoda shaped pandal replete with Buddha, the revolving drums and dragons) with all the walls covered artistically in cut out symbols of the three main religions the Aum, the Cross and the Crescent Moon. It also had a sculpture of three babies tied together with a national flag lying in front of the Devi Ma. There was one with a war and world without borders theme which had a make believe aeroplane and paratroopers on the outside, walls full of photographs from the partition/1971 war. They had displays of all passports and other symbolic messages coming alive through their creativity all in presence of Ma Durga. I read later that one Puja Pandal, a replica of Harminder Sahib a sikh Gurudwara was termed blasphemous. I saw so many beautiful replica's of palaces, temples etc even I wondered if some day someone would take the liberty of making the Taj Mahal for instance and whether that would be considered blasphemous. Another pandal had a traditional Ma Durga in the centre but had pictures of iconic women on the sides which would change for instance every few seconds from looking like Mother Teresa to Ma Durga. It was very clever, tastefully done and beautiful.
The intellectual level of the Bengali Bhadralok creating the themes and pandals was making us awestruck even as we saw the thousands of ordinary people walking patiently, thronging the numerous pandals without any pushing, jostling, groping, pickpocketing. Kolkata has always held a special place in my heart and it raises the bar every time I visit it. Jai Ma Durga.
There were incredible displays of lights on gateways to the Puja Pandals. There were sculptures covered in lights some of them actually robotically moving ducks and Warring Gods or vertical cutouts outlining birds, animals, people which were live in their displays. We wondered if they were made in China but were told they came from Burdwan!
Pandals as high as multistoried buildings, covered on outside with jute cots or having a live robotic electrically operated model made of colourful threads artistically displayed, or having the replica of Sanchi Stupa gateway as halo to the Goddess, a pandal looking like a giant metal vessel with beautiful engravings, threads with bells at the end around the walls, rising smoke, visual depiction in 3D art of a poem about Radha Krishna, meditative music accompanying a light display which takes you deeper into the pandal, Devi ma in different avatars...there was no dearth of creative ideas. One pandal had an underwater theme with fishes, jelly fishes, shells etc and most importantly had Ma Durga looking like she was diving with her sari and hair tousled in one direction. That Devi ma so real, so modern yet so beautiful and awe inspiring, she was my favourite.
We went to the one where there were CCTV cameras and police presence due to the real gold jewellery that Ma Durga was wearing but to me the love of art and intellectual expression mattered more than whether the jewellery was real or not. I am a complete bore where such things are concerned. I don't see or remember jewellery, cannot tell real and designer from fake and street brand. Everything expensive is wasted on me as was a lot of the art which my husband was devouring like a hungry student.
Then we went to Belur Math. There I realised where the idea of having all religion motifs in a building came from. Belur Math the monastery founded by the young Swami Vivekananda, which is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission an organisation who believes in serving all people irrespective of caste, religion or race has Christian, Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu motifs in its architecture. It also has a huge painting outside of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhans saying- However many views, as many paths in English, Bangla and Hindi. Joto mot, toto poth.
Belur Math's Durga Puja is an antithesis to the light sound action, art glamour beauty of Kolkata. Ma Durga was modestly decorated, the puja with the Sanskrit mantras was on the public address system, people were asked to open their shoes, switch off mobiles and separate spaces were organised for men and women to sit and feel the peace in the atmosphere. I wish I could go back there again.
I managed to perform the Pushpanjali (flower offering to the Goddess) on Ashtami like we used to when we were children and my parents were around; in the Avni society's Barir Pujo. Apparently the smaller scale housing societies and home Pujos too have a competition within Barir Pujo or Home Pujo. It was great to be able to see and feel the presence of Ma Durga around me in the magnificently converted parking area. Initially I did not realise that the red bricks, the bay windows were not real and part of the Puja Pandal. Of course I had my ever discerning hubby by my side. We had luchi aloo too.
Final stop before we took the train from Kolkata was Bhog (food offered to the Gods) at our host's friend's place. It was a big mansion housing a big joint business family, with a beautiful Ma Durga whose idol was smaller in size but made up in beauty and sophistication. Though I must say I found two kids, cousin brothers dressed in black kurtas and Bengal Handloom dhotis looking the most dapper. The actual Bhog was delicious and special like all food served at religious ceremonies and out of temples and Gurudwaras. But that was followed by Bengali vegetarian and non vegetarian food including the traditional fish preparation served to us in a sit down lunch exclusively catered by the famous chain specialising in Bengali food, founded in 2003; 6, Ballygunge Place. I still savour the taste. Last time I experienced this lovingly served sequential fare while sitting down in rows in batches was when I was in high school in Asansol and attended weddings. I hope in times to come we will be able to capture videos of the flavours and aromas.
For now it the whole experience is locked in my soul and this is a small effort to share my pleasure.
