20/09/2021
Well, this post is different from rest.
My photo? No..
Any tips? No..
Few days left for Durga Puja.. so I thought to write something about the same.
So, as for someone from Kolkata I can assure you Durga Puja is the most celebrated festival in West Bengal.
Durga puja brings friends together, makes people forget about agony of their daily lives, melts ego between 2 persons.
We celebrate Durga Puja for 4 days and ask for more. Every year during that 6 days (including 2 days before Puja) you will find the streets of Kolkata swarming with people.
You will find IT professionals skipping office, group of students, group of friends who don't get time to interact with each other (probably because they works in different parts of India), cute couples, children in new dresses holding their parents' hand - almost everyone who live in Kolkata (and yes of course who does not mind following the crowd in a busy pandal). Some pandals might have a fair centering the pandal.
Most people prefer to visit the pandals with friends during day and the night is reserved for trips with family members. They don't bother about visiting the same place twice. I have seen my friends visiting the same pandal 3 times just to satisfy 3 sets of people.
The durga puja starts with "Shasthi", when the Durga idol is displayed for the first time for visitors. Shasthi is followed by "Saptami", "Ashtami", 'Nabami" & "Doshomi'. Shasthi is not considered within the 4 days time span I mentioned before. The most anticipated (at least for me) event of Durga is "Anjali" which takes place in Morning on the second day of Durga Puja i.e, "Ashtomi". People gathered in pandal for "Anjali" chants some mantra & pray to "Ma Durga" for blessing. This event is very special for teenager as they get a chance to see their crush in indian dresses (mostly in sarees) and to stand close to their crush during "Anjali" and steal a glance or two when everyone is busy praying with eyes closed.
Though last day of Durga Puja is more ventful than "Ashtomi' comprising "Sindur-khela" and "Bisharjan"( emmersion of Durga idol in water).
"Sindur-khela" is the ritual where married women farewell Ma Durga for that year and play with Sindur with other women. The "Bisharjan" ceremony leave all bengali people sad though we cheer each other with the slogan "Asche bochor abar hobe" ("Till next year").