Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries of the world in the

21 century. It has emerged as one of the major sources of employment

and foreign exchange earnings for many developing countries, including
India. Hooghly is an important district in the tourism map of West Bengal.
Historical monuments, sacred places, temples, spiritual centres of the
district attract tourists from various parts of the country and abroad. The
important tourist destinations of the district are: Muslim Imambara("meeting place"), Bandel(Portuguese)church, Hansweswari temple at
Bansberia, Nandadulal Mondir, Tarakeshwar Temple, Radhanagar,
Devanandapur, Birth place of Sarat Ch. Chattopadhyay etc. Cultural
Tourism has an important bearing on the economic and social lives of the
people and hence on human development of the district. It is thus
desirable to looks into the core cultural competency of the district for
identifying the comparative and competitive advantages of the area in
terms of tourism development vis-a- vis other places of the state.
Durga Puja in Hooghly District
Now a days main attractions of Barawari Durga Puja is mainly oriented
around theme based pandal decorations and lighting. Although religious
flavour is hardly found in this type of Barawari pujas, I still like these pujas.
These barowari pujas bring out the creative and innovative excellence of
artists associated with these pujas. Simultaneously I very much like to
witness traditional pujas of Belurmath and those organised in houses of
rich people and old zamindars, like Durga Puja of Mallick Bari, Shova
Bazar Rajbari etc.
History of Durgapuja:
If we look back in search of history of Durga Puja in Bengal it is found that
the Durga Puja organised in the house of Saborno Chowdhury, the
zamindar of Barisha is the oldest Puja in or around Kolkata. In old days
common people used to participate in the Pujas in the houses of rich
people and zaminders. The first publicly organised Durga Puja took place
in Guptipara of Hooghly District. Twelve friends (Baro yeer) together
organized this Puja. Hence the name Barawari Puja emerged.
Department of Tourism West Bengal:
Like every year in this year (2011) also the West Bengal Tourism arranged
different types of Puja trips. One of them was a visit to traditional Puja
pandals on the outskirts of Kolkata. I was a party to this trip this year. They
charged Rs.2000 per head for this trips which included Break-fast, Lunch
and evening snacks. Our journey started at 7.30 A.M from the office of
West Bengal Tourism at B.B.D Bag. Two A.C buses were provided for us.
Our journey was mainly restricted within Hooghly Districts. In addition to
the Durga Puja pandals we also visited old terracotta temples of Hooghly
District and adjacent Kalna of Burdawan Dstrict.
Brief History of Hooghly:
The District of Hooghly derived its name from the town Hooghly situated
on the west bank of river Hooghly about 40 km. North of Kolkata. Many
European powers
like Dutch, Danish, British, French, Belgians and
Germans came to Hooghly at different periods. Originally Hooghly was a
part of Burdwan District. For administrative conveniences Burdwan District
was split into two parts in 1795. The sourthern parts was named Hooghly.
Durgapuja of Goswami Family:
Our first stoppage was at the Puja of Goswami Family in Serampore,
Hooghly. The Goswami family was zamindar of serampore. In the 17th
century two brothers
Raghuram and Raghavram Goswami came to srerampore from their home
village of Patuli. Raghuram got a job in the office of commissariat of the
Danish Governor, while Raghavram became an official moneylender to the
factory workers of that locality. Gradually this Goswami Family became the
zamindar of that area.

The Durgapuja of this Goswami Family is 300 years old. Here Devi Durga is
worshipped in the Thakurdalan right from the day after Mahalaya. The
Goswami Family members claim that their Durgapuja is oldest of all the
pujas in Bengal. The idol of Goddess Durga along with Lakshmi,
Swaraswati, Kartik and Ganesh is placed under the Ekchala. The idol of
Devi Durga is decorated with traditional Dakersaaj. Here Kumari puja (A
little girl is being worshipped as Goddess Durga ) is performed on all four
days from sashti to Navami. However the kumari puja of Maha Navami is
the most colourful one, though the pomp and show associated with the
puja has subsided consiferably today. Around 300 years old Radhagobindo
Mandir is situated adjacent to the thakurdalan. Idols of Radha and
Krishna are placed here on the marble bedi.
Durga Pujas of Seoraphuli :
Seoraphuli was a collecting centre for local marketable goods produced in
different parts of Hooghly. We came to Seoraphuli by one hour drive from
Serampore.
The oldest Durgapuja of Seoraphuli is the 300 years old Durgapuja of
Seoraphuli Rajbari.
More than 100 years ago famous jute merchant Surendranath Ghosh
started Durga puja in his house. Idol of Devi Durga here is decorated with
Dakersajj. Surendranath was not only a famous Merchant, but he also did
many benevolent social works in his locality. Many renowned personalities
of Bengal including Netaji Subhash ch. Bose came to his house. Seoraphuli
Surendranath Vidyaniketan, a famous educational institution of the locality
is named after him.
Devi Sorbomongola:
Devi Sarbomongala was the family goddess (kulodevota) of Zaminders of
Seoraphuli. Idol of Devi Sorbamongala was excavated on the basis of a
swapnadesh (an order passed in dreams) to a member of that family. It is
made of eight metals (ostodhatu). Rani Rashmoni the founder of Devi Kali
temple in Dekshineswar came to visit Seoraphuli Sorbomongola temple.
Under her instructions the idol of Devi Kali of Dakshineswar temple was
made in the same pattern as that of Devi Sarbomongola of Seoraphuli.
Honsheshwari temple :
Honsheshwari temple is a Hindu temple of Goddess Kali in the town of
Bansbaria of Hooghly District. Bansbaria was one of the main villages of
ancient Saptagram, once the main port and commercial complex of that
area. Bansbaria presently an industrial town positioned between Bandel
and Tribeni, is 48 km. From Kolkata. Construction works of Honsheshwari
temple by Raja Narsingh Deo started in 1801 and it was completed in
1814. Built with a unique blend of European architectural style, the main
deity is the blue neem-wood idol of the four armed goddess Honseswari, a
manifestation of Goddess Kali. Ma Kali is standing on the blooming lotus
under the Kalpobriksha (one can achieve any think from this tree). We
offered our anjali to the divine deity. It was a wonderful moment.
Ananta Vasudeva temple :
Ananta Vasudeva temple is situated beside the Honseswari temple. This
temple was built by Raja Rameshwar Dutta in 1694. It is constructed in
charchala style and hexagonal in shape. The intricate artworks on the
temples terracotta walls and on the pillars depict scenes from Ramayana,
Krishnalila and Mahabharata.
Guptipara :
Our next destination was Guptipara. Here we were served with our grand
lunch. Guptipara is a rural town under Balagarh police station in chinsurah
subdivision of Hooghly District. Guptipara has a rich cultural Heritage. In
the book Rajtarangini by Kalhan , in Manasa Mongol kabya of Biprodas
Pipolai, in Surodhani Kabya of Denobondhu Mitra, and in the famous
Pather Panchali of Bibhutibhusan Babdhopadaya we get references of

Guptipara. Guptipara is famous for kabiyal Bhola Mayera. Guptipara

derived its name from the famous Baidya Community of that locality
(Surnames of Baidyas end with Gupta). Guptipara can boast of many
renowned Ayurvedic Doctors within baidya community. Many famous
ayurvedic book were written by doctors of Baidya community.
Guptipara is also famous for its Chariot Festival. Guptipara Chariot Festival
is the fourth most important chariot festival after Puri (Orissa), Mahesh
(Serampore), and Mahishadal (Midnapur).
The 550 years old temple of Sri Sri Dayamayee in Talipada is also a very
famous spot in Guptipara. Pandit Basudev Sarbobhoumo one of the learned
disciples of Srichaitanya Mahaprobhu came here from Nawadip and he
introduced Durgapuja here by worshiping the structure of the idol of Ma
Durga during Rathayatra. Bhupaticharan, one of the descendants of
Basudev Sarbobhoumo founded the idol of Durga made of eight metals.
This idol of Devi Durga is known here as Dayamayee Durga. The ancestral
house Tarkabagish Bati ( Tarkabagish means a person who can establish
his point of faith by given strong arguments and Bati means house)) of
Bhupaticharan was renamed by him as Durga Bari. In every year in the
last day of month of Baishak (May) a big annual festival takes place in
Durga Bari. On this occasion many devotes come to this house for
worshiping Devi Durga. We met here 19th descendant of Basu Dev
Sorbobhoumo. Photography was strictly prohibited within Durga Bari. For
this I cant show you any picture of Devi Dayamayee Durga.
Guptipara is also known for its famous terracotta temples. Brindabon ch.
Math was founded by Land lord Bisheswar Roy. It consists of four temples
of post mediaeval period. Out of these four temples Brindabon chandrajis
temple and Krishna Chandrajis temple are ATCHALA( Eight roofted) while
Ramchandrajis temple (1742-1744) is EKARATNA (single pinnacle) temple
with superb terracotta ornamentation. The oldest of the group Chaitanya
Dev Temple (1696-1706) is of JORBANGLA pattern.
Durga Puja (Bengali: , pronounced Bengali pronunciation:
[dd ura puda] in Bengali; (listen:About this sound Durga Puja
(helpinfo)), Worship of Durga), also referred to as Durgotsava (Bengali:
pronounced Bengali pronunciation: [dd urotdb], listen: About this
sound Durgotsava (helpinfo)), Festival of Durga) or Sharadotsav is an
annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu
goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya,
Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijayadashami.
The dates of Durga Puja celebrations are set according to the traditional
Hindu calendar and the fortnight corresponding to the festival is called
Devi Paksha (Bengali: , Fortnight of the Goddess). Devi Paksha is
preceded by Mahalaya (Bengali: ), the last day of the previous
fortnight Pitri Paksha, Fortnight of the Forefathers), and is ended on
Kojagori Lokkhi Puja (Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon
Night). Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the
evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomises the
victory of Good over Evil.
Durga Puja is widely celebrated in the Indian states of Assam, Bihar,
Jharkhand, Orissa, Tripura and West Bengal, where it is a five-day annual
holiday.[3] In West Bengal and Tripura, which has a majority of Bengali
Hindus, it is the biggest festival of the year. Not only is it the biggest Hindu
festival celebrated throughout the state, it is also the most significant
socio-cultural event in Bengali society. Apart from eastern India, Durga Puja
is also celebrated in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab,
Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Durga Puja is also
celebrated as a major festival in Nepal and in Bangladesh all over the
places of Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Bogra and
other major places and all the villages of Bangladesh where the 20%

population is Hindu.3 day National Holiday is being declared and most of

the educational institutions remain closed as it is one of the major national
festival also in Bangladesh which is widely celebrated and peoples from all
religion participate in the program. Nowadays, many diaspora Bengali
cultural organisations arrange for Durgotsab in countries such as the
United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, The
Netherlands, Singapore and Kuwait, among others. In 2006, a grand Durga
Puja ceremony was held in the Great Court of the British Museum.[4]
The prominence of Durga Puja increased gradually during the British Raj in
Bengal.[5] After the Hindu reformists identified Durga with India, she
became an icon for the Indian independence movement.[6] In the first
quarter of the 20th century, the tradition of Baroyari or Community Puja
was popularised due to this. After independence, Durga Puja became one
of the largest celebrated festivals in the whole world.
Durga Puja also includes the worship of Shiva, who is Durga's consort
(Durga is an aspect of Goddess Parvati), in addition to Lakshmi, Saraswati
with Ganesha and Kartikeya, who are considered to be Durga's children.[7]
Worship of mother nature is done, through nine types of plant (called "Kala
Bou"), including a plantain (banana) tree, which represent nine divine
forms of Goddess Durga.[8] Modern traditions have come to include the
display of decorated pandals and artistically depicted idols (murti) of
Durga, exchange of Vijaya greetings and publication of Puja Annuals.
Contents
1 Names
2 Origin of the autumnal ceremony 'Sharadiya' 3 History 4
Customs 5 Durga Puja Mantra 6 Evolution of the Community or Sarbajanin
puja 7 Creation of the idols
8 Environmental impact 9 Theme-based Pujas and pandals 10 Popular
culture specific to the puja 10.1 Media Attention 10.2 Movies 11 West
Bengal 11.1 Kolkata (Calcutta)
11.2 Konnagar, Hooghly 11.3 Siliguri 11.4 Cooch Behar 11.5 Chanduli,
Katwa
11.6 Lataguri 11.7 Berhampore 11.8 Jalpaiguri 12 In other parts of India
12.1 Assam
12.2 Bihar 12.3 Gujarat 12.4 Jharkhand 12.5 Karnataka 12.6 Kashmir 12.7
Kerala
12.8 Madhya Pradesh 12.9 Maharashtra and Goa 12.10 New Delhi 12.11
Orissa
12.12 Punjab 12.13 Tripura 12.14 Andhra Pradesh 12.15 Tamil Nadu 13
Bangladesh
14 Other countries 14.1 China 14.2 Middle East 14.3 Nepal 14.4 United
States, Europe and Australia 14.5 South East Asia 15 See also 16
References 17 Further reading 18 External links
Names
In Bengal, Durga Puja is also called Akalbodhan ('untimely awakening of
Durga'), Sharadiya Pujo (autumnal worship), Sharodotsab (Bengali:

(festival of autumn), Maha Pujo (grand puja), Maayer Pujo

(worship of the Mother) or merely as Puja or Pujo. In East Bengal
(Bangladesh), Durga Puja used to be celebrated as Bhagabati Puja. It is
also called Durga Puja in Bihar, Assam, Orissa, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh.
Puja is called Navaratri Puja in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and
Maharashtra,[10] Kullu Dussehra in Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh,[11]
Mysore Dussehra in Mysore, Karnataka[12] and Bommai Golu in Tamil Nadu
and Bommala koluvu in Andhra Pradesh.[13]
Origin of the autumnal ceremony 'Sharadiya'
Old painting of Durga Puja in Kolkata at Shobhabazar Rajbari.
The actual worship of the Goddess Durga as stipulated by the Hindu
scriptures falls in the month of Chaitra, which roughly overlaps with March
or April and is called Basanti Durga Puja. This ceremony is not observed by

many and is restricted to a handful in the state of West Bengal. The more
popular form, which is also known as Sharadiya (Autumnal) Durga Puja, is
celebrated later in the year with the dates falling either in September or
October.[14] Since the Goddess is invoked at the wrong time, it is called
"Akaal Bodhon" in Bengali.
One of the earliest evidence of the autumnal celebration can be found in
the Tripura Buranji, where it is described that the envoy of the Twipra
Kingdom, Rameshwar Nyayalankar, was invited to witness the Durga puja
at Rangpur, the capital of the Ahom kingdom, in 1711.[15]
Public announcement by Shobhabazar Rajbari on the origins of Durga Puja.
While the most recent revival of the Autumnal worship of Goddess Durga
can be traced to revivalist tendencies in the early freedom movement in
Bengal, differences remain in the historical reason behind the revival. One
school of thought is of the opinion that the first such Puja was organised by
Raja Nabakrishna Deb of the Shobhabazar Rajbari of Calcutta in honour of
Lord Clive in the year 1757. The puja was organised because Clive wished
to pay thanks for his victory in the Battle of Plassey. He was unable to do
so in a Church because the only church in Calcutta at that time was
destroyed by Siraj-ud-Daulah. Indeed many wealthy mercantile and
Zamindar families in Bengal made British officers of the East India
Company guests of honour in the Pujas. The hosts vied with one another in
arranging the most sumptuous fares, decorations and entertainment for
their guests. This was deemed necessary since the company was in charge
of a large part of India including Bengal after the battles of Plassey and
Buxar.[16] However, this particular claim has been refuted by the
Sovabazar Rajbari. In a public announcement during the Durga Puja of
2011, notice boards were placed at the entrance of the puja, clarifying the
Rajbari's official position.
History
Durga Puja, 1809 watercolour painting in Patna style.
The Durga puja has been celebrated since the medieval period, and has
evolved and adapted to the world as time passed. A considerable literature
exists around Durga in the Bengali language and its early forms, including
avnirnaya (11th century), Durgabhaktitarangini by Vidyapati (a famous
Maithili poet of 14th century), but the goddess Durga was not fully
integrated into the Hindu pantheon, primarily in Bengal, in the 16th
century. Early forms of Durgostavs (Durga festivals) were primarily private
worship in personal residences with the use of various musical instruments
such as the mridanga, mandira, and smakhya. It was during the 18th
century, however, that the worship of Durga became popular among the
land aristrocrats of Bengal, the Zamindars. Prominent Pujas were
conducted by the zamindars and jagirdars, being enriched by emerging
British rule, including Raja Nabakrishna Deb, of Shobhabajar, who initiated
an elaborate Puja at his residence. These celebrations brought the
Durgostavs out of individual homes, and into the public sphere. Festivities
were celebrated as a community, where royalty and peasantry were
welcomed into the home of the zamindar or bania (merchant) to feast
together. The festivities became heavily centred around entertainment
-music and female dancers- as well as lavish feasts that continued for the
entire month. In the nineteenth century, the Pujas celebrated placed less
emphasis on elaborate celebration and feasting, and more on including all
of the community in the celebration. They moved from being a show of
wealth and authority by royalty and merchants back to a festival of worship
and community. Many of these old puja exist till now. Interestingly the
oldest such Puja to be conducted at the same venue is located in
Rameswarpur, Orissa, where it has been continued since the last four
centuries; starting from the time when the Ghosh Mahashays from
Kotarang migrated there as a part of Todarmal's contingent during Akbar's

rule. Today, the culture of Durga Puja has shifted from the princely houses
to Sarbojanin (literally, "involving all") forms. The first such puja was held
at Guptipara it was called barowari (baro meaning twelve and yar
meaning friends)
Image of Durga in an early 19th century lithogragh.
Today's Puja, however, goes far beyond religion. In fact, visiting the
pandals recent years, one can only say that Durgapuja is the largest
outdoor art festival on earth. The music, dancing, and art displayed and
performed during the Durga puja played an integral part in connecting the
community in Bengal, and eventually across India and the world today. In
the 1990s, a preponderance of architectural models came up on the pandal
exteriors, but today the art motif extends to elaborate interiors, executed
by trained artists, with consistent stylistic elements, carefully executed and
bearing the name of the artist.
The sculpture of the idol itself has evolved. The worship always depicts
Durga with her four children, and occasionally two attendant deities and
some banana-tree figures. In the olden days, all five idols would be
depicted in a single frame, traditionally called pata. Since the 1980s
however, the trend is to depict each idol separately.
From the medieval period up through present day, the Durga puja not only
celebrates the goddess, but brings the Hindu community together by
integrating modernised aspects of entertainment and technology, while
still maintaining the religious worship [17]
Customs
Durga puja mood starts off with the Mahishasuramardini a two-hour radio
programme that has been popular with the community since the 1950s.
[18] While earlier it used to be conducted live, later a recorded version
began to be broadcast. Bengalis traditionally wake up at 4 in the morning
on Mahalaya day to listen to the enchanting voice of the late Birendra
Krishna Bhadra and the late Pankaj Kumar Mullick on All India Radio as they
recite hymns from the scriptures from the Devi Mahatmyam (Chandi Path).
[19]
During the week of Durga Puja, in the entire state of West Bengal as well as
in large enclaves of Bengalis everywhere, life comes to a complete
standstill. In playgrounds, traffic circles, pondswherever space may be
availableelaborate structures called pandals are set up, many with nearly
a year's worth of planning behind them. The word pandal means a
temporary structure, made of bamboo and cloth, which is used as a
temporary temple for the purpose of the puja. While some of the pandals
are simple structures, others are often elaborate works of art with themes
that rely heavily on history, current affairs and sometimes pure
imagination.
Somewhere inside these complex edifices is a stage on which Durga reigns,
standing on her lion mount, wielding ten weapons in her ten hands. This is
the religious center of the festivities, and the crowds gather to offer flower
worship or pushpanjali on the mornings, of the sixth to ninth days of the
waxing moon fortnight known as Devi Paksha (lit. Devi = goddess; Paksha
= period; Devi Paksha meaning the period of the goddess). Ritual
drummers dhakis, carrying large leather-strung dhak show off their
skills during ritual dance worships called aarati. On the tenth day, Durga
the mother returns to her husband, Shiva, ritualised through her immersion
into the waters[20] Bishorjon also known as Bhaashan and Niranjan
At the end of six days, the idol is taken for immersion in a procession amid
loud chants of 'Bolo Durga mai-ki jai' (glory be to Mother Durga') and
'aashchhe bochhor abar hobe' ('it will happen again next year') and
drumbeats to the river or other water body. It is cast in the waters symbolic
of the departure of the deity to her home with her husband in the
Himalayas. After this, in a tradition called Vijaya Dashami, families visit

each other and sweetmeats are offered to visitors (Dashami is literally

"tenth day" and Vijay is "victory").
Durga Puja commemorates the annual visit of the Goddess with Her
children to Her parents' home, leaving finally on the Dashami to be reunited with Shiva. This leaving ceremony is symbolised by the immersion
of the idols on Dashami.[9]
Durga Puja is also a festivity of Good (Ma Durga) winning over the evil
(Mahishasur the demon). It is a worship of power of Good which always
wins over the bad.
Problems listening to this file? See media help.
Mantras, the integral part of Durga puja are accompanied by the rhythmic
beatings of the dhak, smell of the incense sticks, 'dhoono' and flowers.
These create the atmosphere of Durga puja. Chanting of mantras in
Sanskrit is essential part of the Durga Puja Festival.[21] This is a part of
Durga Puja's Pushpanjali Mantra:
Om Jayanti, Mangala, Kali, Bhadrakali, Kapalini. Durga, Shiba, Kshama,
Dhatri, Swaha, Swadha Namahstu Te.
Esha Sachandana Gandha Pushpa Bilwa Patranjali, Om Hrring Durgaoi
Namah[22]
Durga Slokas (which is also known as Devi Mantra)[23] praises Durga as
symbol of all divine forces. According to the sloka, Durga is omnipresent as
the embodiment of power, intelligence, peace, wealth, morality etc. A part
of Durga Sloka is as follows:[24]
Ya Devi sarva bhuteshu Matri rupena samsthita
Ya Devi sarva bhuteshu Shakti rupena samsthita
Ya Devi sarva bhutesu Shanti rupena samsthita
Namestasyai Namestasyai Namestasyai Namoh Namah
Translation:The goddess who is omnipresent as the personification of
universal mother
The goddess who is omnipresent as the embodiment of power
The goddess who is omnipresent as the symbol of peace
I bow to her, I bow to her, I bow to her
Evolution of the Community or Sarbajanin puja
Celebrations inside a house, during Durga puja, Calcutta, 1840.
Initially the Puja was organised by affluent families since they had the
money to organise the festival. During the late 19th and early 20th
century, a burgeoning middle class, primarily in Calcutta, wished to
observe the Puja. They created the community or Sarbojanin Pujas.
These Pujas are organised by a committee which represents a locality or
neighbourhood. They collect funds called "chaanda" through door-to-door
subscriptions, lotteries, concerts etc. These funds are pooled and used for
the expenses of pandal construction, idol construction, ceremonies etc. The
balance of the fund is generally donated to a charitable cause, as decided
by the committee. Corporate sponsorships of the Pujas have gained
momentum since the late 1990s. Major Pujas in Calcutta and in major
metro areas such as Delhi and Chennai now derive almost all of their funds
from corporate sponsorships. Community fund drives have become a
formality.
Despite the resources used to organise a Puja, entry of visitors into the
Pandal is always free. Pujas in Calcutta and elsewhere experiment with
innovative concepts every year. Communities have created prizes for Best
Pandal, Best Puja, and other categories.
Creation of the idols
Durga Puja Idol in the making at Kumortuli, Kolkata
Idol making in an village temple of Burdwan
The entire process of creation of the idols (murti) from the collection of clay
to the ornamentation is a holy process, supervised by rites and other
rituals. On the Hindu date of Akshaya Tritiya when the Ratha Yatra is held,

clay for the idols is collected from the banks of a river, preferably the
Ganges. There is age-old custom of collecting a handful of soil (punya mati)
from the nishiddho pallis of Calcutta, literally forbidden territories, where
sex workers live, and adding it to the clay mixture which goes into the
making of the Durga idol.[25] After the required rites, the clay is
transported from which the idols are fashioned. An important event is
'Chakkhu Daan', literally donation of the eyes. Starting with Devi Durga,
the eyes of the idols are painted on Mahalaya or the first day of the Pujas.
Before painting on the eyes, the artisans fast for a day and eat only
vegetarian food.
Many Pujas in and around Kolkata buy their idols from Kumartuli (also
Kumortuli), an artisans' town in north Calcutta.[26]
In 1610, the first Durga puja in Kolkata was supposedly celebrated by the
Roychowdhuri family of Barisha. Though this was a private affair,
community or Baroyari Durga puja was started in Guptipara, in Hooghly
by 12 young men when they were barred from participating in a family
Durga puja in 1761. They formed a committee which accepted
subscriptions for organising the puja. Since then, community pujas in
Bengal came to be known as Baroyari baro meaning 12 and yar
meaning friends.In Kolkata, the first Baroyari Durga Puja was organised in
1910 by the SanatanDharmotsahini Sabha at Balaram Bosu Ghat Road,
Bhawanipur. At the same time, similar Baroyari Pujas were held at
Ramdhan Mitra Lane and Sikdar Bagan. The Indian freedom struggle also
had an influence on Durga puja in Kolkata. In 1926, Atindranath Bose
initiated the first Sarbojanin Durga puja in which anybody, irrespective of
caste, creed and religion, could participate in the festivities. This was
consciously done to instill a feeling of unity.[27]
Environmental impact
Image of Durga being immersed in water. The Murti of Durga is ecofriendly.
Environmental hazards from the materials used to make and color the idols
pollute local water sources, as the idols are brought directly into the river
at the end of festivities. Efforts are underway to introduce eco-friendly
materials to the artisans who make the idols. West Bengal has been
credited by its own environmental agency as being possibly the first Indian
State to successfully curb the use of hazardous paints. However, by their
own account, only two-thirds of the idols made are currently coloured with
eco-friendly paints.[28]
Commercialization of Hindu festivals like Durga Puja in the last quarter of
20th century have become a major environmental concern as devout
Hindus want bigger and brighter idols. Environmentalists say the idols are
often made from hazardous materials like cement, plastic, plaster of Paris,
and toxic paints.[29]
Theme-based Pujas and pandals
Theme based Durga puja
Pandals and idols inspired by a particular theme have been the hallmark of
many community or Sarbajanin Pujas in Kolkata since the 1990s. Puja
committees decide on a particular theme, whose elements are
incorporated into the pandal and the idols. Popular themes include ancient
civilisations like the Egyptians or Incas. Contemporary subjects like the
RMS Titanic and Harry Potter have also been the subject in some pandals.
The design and decoration is usually done by art and architecture students
based in the city. The budget required for such theme-based pujas is often
higher than traditional pujas. They attract crowds and are well received.
Inspired by Kolkata, theme-based pandals are becoming popular in cities in
neighbouring states, particularly Orissa (see above). Experimentation with
the idols does not happen much outside Calcutta.

Rapid growth of competitiveness in theme pandals, and also rapid growth

of massive billboards that come up at strategic junctions, prior to Puja and
allied commercial activities, has also created a cultural backlash from city's
traditional Puja pandals, which now claim, "We do not do theme puja, we
do Durga puja,", according to one hoarding put up in Salt Lake, Kolkata.[30]
Popular culture specific to the puja
Durga Puja is one of the most important events in the Bengali society's
calendar. Many Bengali films, albums and books are released to coincide
with the Puja. The West Bengal government gives a fortnight of holidays for
the Pujas. This time is used in various ways. Many people travel in India or
abroad. Gatherings of friends called "Aadda" in Bengali is common in many
homes and restaurants. A lot of shopping is done, and retailers cash in on
this opportunity with special offers.
Visiting pandals with friends and family, talking and sampling the food sold
near them is known as pandal hopping. Young people embrace this activity.
Pujor Gaan (Songs of Puja) are the Adhunik Bengali songs that come out
every year during this time.
Durga, during 2010 Durga Puja, College Square, Kolkata.
Media Attention
TV and radio channels telecast Puja celebrations. Many Bengali channels
devote whole days to the Pujas. Bengali and Oriya weekly magazines bring
out special issues for the Puja known as "Pujabarshiki" or "Sharadiya
Sankhya". These contain the works of many writers both established and
upcoming and are thus much bigger than the regular issues. Some notable
examples are Anandamela, Shuktara, Desh, Sarodiya Anandabazar Patrika,
Sananda, Nabakallol, Bartaman[31]
Movies
Famous director Satyajit Ray's film Joi Baba Felunath is centred around
Durga Puja and his movie Nayak also has a Durga Puja reference.[32]
Rituporno Ghosh's Hirer Angti, Utsav and Antarmahal all are centred
around Durga Puja.
The Hindi film "Devdas" interweaves the celebration of Durga Puja into its
story line.
The film Kahaani is also centred around Durga Puja and plays a prominent
role in the unfolding of the events of this thriller film.
West Bengal
Characteristic neon light images glow as late night revellers throng the
streets of Kolkata during Durga Puja.
A Durga idol in Burdwan
The worship of Durga in the autumn (Shrot) is the year's largest Hindu
festival of Bengal. Durga Puja is also celebrated in Nepal and Bhutan
according to local traditions and variations. Puja means "worship," and
Durga's Puja is celebrated from the sixth to tenth day of the waning moon
in the month of Ashvin (Ashshin}}), which is the sixth month in the Bengali
calendar. Occasionally however, due to shifts in the lunar cycle relative to
the solar months, it may also be held in the following month, Kartika. In the
Gregorian calendar, these dates correspond to the months of September
and October.
Durga idol from a pandal at West Bengal
In the Krittibas Ramayana, Rama invokes the goddess Durga in his battle
against Ravana. Although she was traditionally worshipped in the spring,
due to contingencies of battle, Rama had to invoke her in the autumn akaal
bodhan.[33] Today it is this Rama's date for the puja that has gained
ascendancy, although the spring puja, known as Basanti Puja [One of the
oldest 'sabeki' Basanti Puja is held every year at spring in Barddhaman Pal
Bari at Raniganga Bazar, M.K.Chatterjee Rd near Karjon Gate], is also
present in the Hindu almanac. Another famous portrait of Basanti Puja, can
be found in Tangra Rakhal Chandra Das' Bari, which is more than half and a

century old. Since the season of the puja is autumn, it is also known as
('Sharodia').
The pujas are held over a ten-day period, which is traditionally viewed as
the coming of the married daughter, Durga, to her father, Himalaya's
home. It is the most important festival in Bengal, and Bengalis celebrate
with new clothes and other gifts, which are worn on the evenings when the
family goes out to see the 'pandals' (temporary structures set up to
venerate the goddess). Although it is a Hindu festival, religion takes a back
seat on these five days: Durga Puja in Bengal is a carnival, where people
from all backgrounds, regardless of their religious beliefs, participate and
enjoy themselves to the hilt.[34]
Kolkata (Calcutta)
In Kolkata alone more than two thousand pandals are set up, all clamouring
for the admiration and praise of the populace.[35] The city is adorned with
lights. People from all over the country visit the city at this time, and every
night is one mad carnival where thousands of people go 'pandal-hopping'
with their friends and family. Traffic comes to a standstill, and indeed, most
people abandon their vehicles to travel by foot after a point. A special task
force is deployed to control law and order. Durga Puja in Kolkata is often
referred to as the Rio Carnival of the Eastern Hemisphere.[36]
Sindur being applied on Goddess Durga during Bijaya Dashami
Konnagar, Hooghly
One of oldest Durga Puja is held at Konnagar.[37]
Siliguri
Hundreds of puja pandals are set up every year in the Siliguri Mahakuma
area. The city is adorned with many colourful pandal, glorious "Protima",
colourful
lighting
and
sounds.
The
puja
in
Saktigarh,
DeshbandhuPara,Hakimpara, Rabindra Sangha, Rathkhola, Champashari,
Central Colony (N.R.I), Silpanchal(Burdwan Road) and Saktigarh Utjal
Sangha,sorojini sangha[shivmandir] are famous and the oldest durga puja
in this area.
Silpanchal Durga Puja committee is recognised as one of the oldest puja is
town which was established in 1955 and is famous for the "Protima" and
many other social activities they undertake during Pujas.
The oldest puja in Siliguri is of Swastika Yubak Sangha. It's one of the most
crowd gathering puja of the region. The Puja Committee completed its 50th
year of celebrations in 2007. Sorjini sangha completed its 150th year
recently.[when?]
Cooch Behar
Immersion of Durga Idol of Fatorda Durga Puja Committee as Rachol, Goa
One of the oldest Durga pujas of Bengal. It has been said that this puja is
started in 1510, by the founder of Cooch dynasty Raja Biswa Singha on the
same year of his accession to the throne with the help of his younger
brother Sishya Singha.
The gigantic sized Durga idol, made with clay comprises only Maa Durga's
image with Mahishasura and Jaya-Bijaya, her consorts excluding her
children's idols; is vermilion red in colour. As a part of tradition, humansacrifice is done there in the night of Ashtami on a secluded puja attended
only by the members of the royal family; which still has been observing.
Obviously, now it took a ritualistic form only offering blood-drops from one
of the royal family member every-year. Other than this, many buffaloes,
goats, pigeons are sacrificed in front of the deity. Not only the royal family,
all the people of Cooch-behar regarded her as the supreme deity, calling as
"Baro-devi" (Supreme-mother).
Chanduli, Katwa
One of oldest Durga Puja is held at a village named Chanduli, 12 km from
Katwa city, which is more than 350 years old. The Puja is held under the
auspices of Mitra bari Debottor estate and here Goddess Durga has two

hands visible in place of ten hands. Here, Devi Durga is glorious and
famous in this locality. Guptipara
In 1790 First Barwary puja held in this village of West Bengal in the district
of Hooghly.[38] Great Goswami family of Dhaka is now at Guptipara led by
Satyendra Nath Goswami, Roypara.
Lataguri
Sindur being applied on the forehead of Goddess Durga during Bijaya
Dashami.
Lataguri is a small village in Jalpaiguri district. It has an old tradition of
Durga Puja with lots of joy and cultural values in the heart of the people.
Prantik Sangha, Netaji Sangha, Friends Club, Pal Chowdhury Bari (Family
Puja) are some of the oldest pujas to name a few. In the day of Shashthi,
Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Bijoya Dashami people
here celebrate it in a grand way with lots of joy. Specially in Prantik Sangha
(Post Office Para) they have an old tradition of celebrating "Raksha Raksha"
(Prayers offered to Durga to save whole body and mind and to give
happiness and prosperity) by exchanging warmth of happiness and respect
among the people with touching elder person's feet and hugging each
other. After that small sweet balls laddu are distributed among the people.
"Raksha Raksha" is celebrated in the day of Bijoya Dashami after idols
(murtis) of Goddess Durga with her family are immersed in the most
convenient body of water. The members of Pal Chowdhury Bari march to
the pond near about half a kilometre for immersion of the goddess by
taking it on their shoulder. This tradition has been following for 61 years.
Berhampore
Hundreds of puja pandals are set up every year in the Berhampore,
Cossimbazar, Khagra jagdamba mandir (kajal saha & ganesh bhakat
MULTIFRESH, Madhupur, Gorabazaar area. All pandal are decorated with
lights and sounds. Swarnamoyee, Baganpara, Bishtupur, Madhupur Balark
Sangha, Ranibagan, Kadai, Swargadham, Ajana Sangha, Cossimbazar
Choto Rajbari are famous and the oldest durga puja from this area.
Cossimbazars Puja is the oldest puja which is about 300 years old. All
visitors are mostly from Berhampore city and coming through different part
of Murshidabad.[39] district and adjacent districts. Specially the Astami
and Nabami nights are filled with crowd from different part of the district.
Visitors come out on the roads with their family and friends. They enjoy the
festival through the night. Also the Bisorjon (immersion of idol) to
Bhagarathi River is a beautiful scene. A huge number of visitors gather on
the river side (Gorabajar Ghat, Khagra Ghat) to visit the last journey of
Durga Pratima. Generally the pandals and idols of Madhupur area win the
prizes and famous artists perform during these days. Lighting from
Chandan Nagar is done in this area to a great extent to increase the beauty
of the Puja nights.
Jalpaiguri
Being one of the oldest cities of Colonial Bengal, Jalpaiguri also observed
the Durga puja with a great pomp in several places from more than a
century. The oldest puja of the town is the Puja of Baikunthapur Rajbari
which has started in the sixteenth century by the Raja Shishya Singha, the
founder of Raikot kingdom. Kadamtala Durga-bari, Ramkrishna Mission,
Jogamaya Kalibari, Samaj Para Sarvajanin Durga puja, Natun para, Panda
Para, Tarun Dal, Kalyani Group of Industries' pujas are some of the
prominent and significant pujas of the town. Kumari puja in the morning of
Ashtami at Ramkrishna Mission Ashram is one of the compulsory place to
visit for the inhabitants of the town. More than hundred and seventy Durga
pujas are celebrated through all over the town and adjacent suburbs. Some
families such as Bagchis, Bhuiyans, Neogys, Guhas are the eminent
families who observed Durga Puja in their respective houses from the
colonial period. Biswas family of Deshbandhu Para also perform the Puja at

their house. They gather every items and ingredients, prescribed in the
Kalika Purana for performing the Durga puja. The auspicious chanting of
Vedic mantras hymned through the house for all the four days, performed
by Shreyan, a member of the family. All the members of the household
lend a helping hand in accomplishing the puja successfully.
In other parts of India
From Courtyards to Street Corners
If individual initiative for Durga Puja was on the decline, collective
enterprise came to replace it.
The pujas in the house of the raja or the zamindar provided ample
avenues of participation for the common people. As his subjects,
they could also claim some relationship with the organiser, and by
extension, his puja. Yet hierarchy was strictly maintained and all
decisions about the puja were imposed from the top.
What the rich and famous started off in their houses was an
imitation of these aristocratic religious occasions that sought to
retain the same grandeur in outward show, albeit for the sake of
social prestige. But there was hardly a link to the common people
in these cases unlike the ties that bound the raja or the zamindar
to his tenants. The Asiatic Journal writes in 1816 how during the
Devis stay the houses of the wealthier Bengalees are thrown
open for the reception of every class of the inhabitants of this
great city1. But there was no guarantee of intimate participation
for local residents, nor any certainty of permission for their entry.
At Sovabazar, the entertainment was free for all for 12 days,
starting from the ninth day of the preceding cycle of the waning
moon when bodhon of the Deb family puja took place. But on the
three big nights, when the British were invited over, entry was
severely restricted. Insults and abuses were not unknown either.
Dramatist Amritalal Basu recalls: For the British, there was some
sherry, champagne, brandy, biscuit (at the Debs); a few lucky
Bengalis were also allowed a share. But at mealtime, Bengalis
were a strict no- no and those uninvited were booted out (authors
translation).2 The common man never had much of a say in the
pujas and now his space was shrinking. It is in this context that
the concept of community puja germinated.
The start came from the districts. Around 1790, twelve Brahmin
friends in Guptipara, about 80 km from Calcutta in the Hooghly
district, decided to institute a puja on their own after being denied
entry at a household ritual.3 A journal, The Friend of India, writes
in May, 1820: ...a new species of Pooja has been introduced into
Bengal within the last thirty years, called Barowaree... About
thirty years ago, at Goopti-para, near Santipoora... a number of
Brahmins formed an association for the celebration of a Pooja
independently... They elected twelve men as a Committee from
which circumstance it takes its name, and solicited subscriptions
in all the surrounding villages.
This was a bold step, as the pujas so far had been the preserve of
the mighty and the moneyed. Subscriptions were raised from
neighbours and the Devi was worshipped, if not with pomp and
pageantry then with diligence of devotion. The kings in myths or
in history might have sought boons of greater splendour or
success in war, but for the common people, the greatest catalyst
for invoking the goddess was fear of famine. According to Hutom
Pnayachar Naksha, The custom of twelve or more people coming
together to worship Kali or any other god was instituted during an
epidemic (authors translation).

Thus started the baro-yaar-i (of twelve friends) or baroari puja in

Bengal. It gained popularity in leaps and bounds. Here at last was
a concept that brought the Devi among the masses to be
worshipped by them as their means permitted. Thus Durga Puja
went democratic years before the country did.
Collections for the first baroari puja reached a figure of almost Rs
7,000. As the community puja travelled from Guptipara to
neighbouring towns like Santipur, Kanchrapara and Chinsurah, it
became more ambitious. Hutom Pnyachar Naksha mentions that
the Santipur puja was well-known for its princely budget and
gigantic images. Entertainment was the big draw at Chinsurah,
with even babus from Calcutta voyaging down in their personal
boats to watch clowns in action, contests among poets and such
typical amusements of local folk culture.
Collection overdrive
Since collection of subscriptions from one and all was the defining
point and sole source of revenue for the baroari puja, the
organisers took the business seriously. By 1840, the practice had
become such a menace to local residents that the magistrate of
24-Parganas, Mr. Patton, had to travel incognito in a palanquin to
put an end to the subscription drive launched in the area by the
boys of Behala. That the collection had reached the extent of
extortion is clear from the report on February 27, 1840, in The
Calcutta Courier on Mr. Pattons initiative:
In consequence of the oppressive extortions of money by some
young men belonging to the family of the Saborno Chowdries of
Bihala of Zilla 24-Parganas, under the pretext of meeting the
expense of a Barrowarry Poojah, it was impossible for anybody,
especially females, to pass that road in a conveyance without
satisfying their unjust and illegal demands. When they happened
to see a woman coming in a palanqeen [sic], they immediately
stopped it and if a handsome present was not offered, a volley of
abuse was heaped on the poor creature. As women, from a sense
of decency and decorum, were unable to resist these demands,
they were sometimes compelled to give their clothes and
ornaments when they had no money about them.