Calcutta -Puja Fever

Every Bengali in the world enjoys the spirit of the Pujas, waiting throughout the year for those five days of celebrations. In Calcutta the markets overflow with shoppers, the busy designers at Kumartuli create the idols for the pujas, the lights and decorative themes, the glitter, the rhythm of the 'dhak' and 'ghonta' and the blowing of the conch shell; the people at the Pandals enjoying to their heart's content and dressed in new clothes. This is the Puja fever in Calcutta.

The City Of Joy …is most joyful during these days of Durgapuja. The city is dressed and decorated by artisans coming from distant places. Numerous Puja pandals mushroom all over the city with a range of different themes, both contemporary and traditional. The sprawling sea of humanity makes its visits from pandal to pandal. Calcutta sparkles in strings of electric lights of every possible color and theme under the clear night. The entire city turns into a fairground during Puja with everyone coming out of their houses to attend community functions. Wearing new clothes is the call of the day.

The Puja feeling starts from Biswakarma Puja, which is about one month prior to the Pujas, till the day of 'Sasthi,' Calcutta experiences a phenomenal shopping spree. Calcuttans are out to find the 'right thing' for themselves, their friends and loved ones. Most establishments offer discounts and free gifts. People are seen standing in long queues in front of overflowing shops to purchase items at discounted rates. Other household items like food processors, watches, sound systems, televisions etc. are also sold in much larger volumes than usual. A major part of this shopping spree is funded through special Puja bonuses received by the white-collar staff. The popularity and acceptability of credit cards along wit installment payment schemes has given the common man more muscle to his buying power.

Seven days before the puja, from the day of Mahalaya starts Devipaksha. People take a holy dip in the river Ganges at the crack of dawn and offer prayers for the departed souls - the act is called 'Tarpan'.

Since the early 1930s, homes in Bengal reverberate with the immortal verses from Chandi Kabya in the recorded voice of late Birendra Krishna Bhadra and aired by All India Radio in a program termed as Mahisasura Mardini, narrating the birth of Goddess Durga and her eventual fight with Mahisasura.

People welcome Durga and her children and worship her, as she brought peace to the world and heaven. The city Calcutta comes out with flying colours, enjoying the five days of Durga Puja, starting from the day of Bodhan on Maha-Shasthi and ending up with the immersion of the clay made Idols in the sacred river Ganges on the evening of Dashami.All business and offices remain closed during the Pujas, except some emergency services.Calcutta during the Pujas can also be described as an acoustic jungle of traffic noise, drumming and announcements. The streets are alive with people, drummers from the hinterland villages, expatriates visiting family and friends, people off to visit a neighborhood pandal; a glittering but temporary temple, which serves as the focal point of the celebration.

To experience the true spirit of Pujas …one has to be in Calcutta for these five days.

The global Bengali community also celebrates Durga puja in a grand and elaborate manner all around the world. Though smaller in nature and less of pomp and show, the global puja’s serve as a community get together for all local Bengali’s.