Megha Aryan, OP
In a world of contamination, it is difficult to find unshakable and unadulterated faith. But there are some families that through decades have maintained the essence of cultural heritage by performing Durga puja with dedication and without altering traditional rituals. It’s a big affair for each household celebrating Durga puja, and many enthusiastic pandal hoppers make it a point to catch a glimpse of the traditional pujas which are a grand reflection of the beliefs embedded in popular culture.
Sunday POST takes a look at those families in Orissa who continue to perform Durga puja.
DREAM VISION
The story of Madan Das’ family is no less than a miracle. And it helps restore faith in spirituality. Worshipping Durga began in the family after Maa Durga came in the dream of the head of the family. The puja at the Das residence started way back during the British reign in India – 1845. Initially, most of the family members were traders travelling across the country and abroad. Later, they established themselves as zamindars of Balasore.
“It all started with a dream,” said Ananta Gopal Das, a family member. “The story runs in the family that once Goddess Durga visited one of my ancestors in dream and asked him to build a place of worship in our house”. The confused ancestor couldn’t understand the plans of the Almighty until a boatman came knocking at the doorstep carrying a request from a girl who was a passenger in his boat.
“The girl told the boatman to “go and collect the fare from Madan Das” and while doing so she pointed at our residence. My ancestor realised that it was Maa Durga who had come calling. From then on we started celebrating Durga puja,” Das added.
The Das family puja is in its 172th year thereby making it one of the oldest family pujas in the state. The preparations for the puja start about a month in advance, with the traditional artisan coming down to Das family’s ancestral house, itself more than 250 years old, to start making the idol.
Initially, the Das family started performing ‘ghata puja’ because of their inability to construct a proper idol. However, once it was completed, the puja is celebrated with great pomp.
In the early 20th century, Orissa was virtually the second home of Bengalis and, as a result, much of Bengali culture was imbibed by locals. Also, priests from West Bengal were invited to conduct the puja. Back then Balasore was a small city with some small shops near Balighat and the family of Madan Das. Then priests from the Chandi temple in Cuttack were invited to conduct the puja. Now, however, times have changed, local priests perform the puja.
The puja officially starts on Mahashashthi and Maa Durga is decorated with traditional ornaments and a sari. The Das family has the tradition of offering ‘bhog’ in a very special way on Mahastami. Devotees from far and near throng the Das residence to pay obeisance to Maa Durga on that day. As per tradition, 12-14 members of the family shoulder the palanquin of the goddess and take her to the river in a procession. The puja ends on Vijayadashmi with the immersion of the idol.
“Today there are more than 90 Durga puja pandals in the city, which have caused a drop in the participation of people in household pujas,” said Das.
Pointing to the brazen manifestation of obscenity during the puja, Das said: “We call ourselves developed, modern and well educated but are we really that? I doubt. The worship of the goddess is not for entertainment; it is a form of striving for inner peace and a bid to realise who we really are. Apart from wearing the mask of sophistication we connect ourselves to the mother of the universe. It is not the time to play rap and item songs.”
FAMILY AFFAIR
The fourth generation of the Roy Choudhury family comprising 35 members is celebrating its 48th Durga puja at their age old ancestral house at the New Rausa Patna area of Cuttack. The family has gained popularity in the Silver City due to the pomp and grandeur with which they perform Durga puja.
All the family members stay under one roof and perform all the religious duties and daily chores together. That is what makes the Roy Choudhury family puja so special – each and everyone’s involvement leaves all spellbound.
Puspa Brata Roy Choudhury, 70, the third among four brothers and a sister, is now the main person behind the puja though others contribute equally. “My brothers and I were keen to conduct Durga puja at our place, so in 1970 we finally executed our plans with a grand celebration. Everyone in our family takes out time during the nine days of Navaratri and gathers here to contribute in making the festival a huge success. However, it is because of the blessings of Maa that we have been able to conduct the puja for so long. Her blessings have filled our lives with peace and success,” stated Puspa Brata.
The preparations start a month earlier, Brahmins are invited from Kolkata to perform the rituals; previously local priests used to do so. The idols are made by artisans who also belong to a single family. The band and singers are invited for jagrata. On asthami, or the eighth day of Durga puja, ‘bhog’ and ‘prasad’ are distributed among devotees who visit the residence.
“The festival is also a chance to meet almost every member of the family who take out time to be present. It is a grand family reunion of sorts,” Puspa Brata added.
The festival of Navratri is a celebration of worshipping feminine divinity in the form of Shakti that is Durga. And Kanya or virgin girls or young girls (below the age of puberty) are considered Shakti incarnate. Even a few years back, the Roy Choudhury family observed ‘Kanya Pujan’ which has now been stopped.
One of the neighbours of Choudhary family, Saumitra Ghosh said, “I have known them for many years now. It is always a thrilling experience to witness the Puja rituals in the Roy Choudhury residence. The lighting of the pandals, the decorations make the entire structure very pleasing to the eyes,” said Saumitra. “I make it a point to visit them every year.”
All in the family
Carrying the family tradition foreword, Kar ‘parivaar’ is going to perform its 155th Durga puja this year at their 300-year-old ancestral house.
The forefathers of the family were businessmen whose rapid success made them one of the richest traders in the city. With growth in business Shivacharan Kar, head of the Kar family, faced difficulty in handling the vast business. So, to seek advice regarding the management of business, Shivacharan met priests, who suggested him to worship Goddess Durga.
They said “Durga is the symbol of power and strength. Shakti is the destroyer of evil and with her 10 mighty arms carrying lethal weapons she triumphantly slays the demon Mahishasura”.
Shivacharan agreed and began his preparations to make an abode for Maa Durga.
The Kar family are not natives of Orissa. They migrated from Kolkata in search of work and settled in Balasore in 1695. Earlier, ‘ghata puja’ was performed and a brass idol was worshiped. Then, in 1862, a new idol of the goddess was created and it is worshipped to this day.
Bikramjeet Kar, 39, a family member said: “Now, the seventh generation of our family is staying in our ancestral house. We have always lived together in the same house but as the family grew bigger we had to separate ourselves to find a nearby accommodation. The festival binds us together; it is a reason for all members of the family to gather at the same place.”
“From 1835-65 zamindar families of Balasore – the Raja Ghar family, Madan Das family and Manda family – collectively performed Durga puja. But afterwards, something happened which separated us and then on we started worshiping the goddess at our respective households,” Bikramjeet added.
