· Flavour of Agomoni
As the year with its twelve months, gradually passes on and nears the months of September and October, a spark of joy creeps into the hearts of all the people of West Bengal. Says like “ma asche “
Al around we can see hording posters of several advertisement
people over thre get very much busy with their shopping …when we pass through park or club or something the continous sound has been floated..That hammer’s sound. Barricade, signal song “bajlo tomar alor benu…these are the most familiar fenomena of puja flavor.
Happiness fills their heart and they patiently await the arrival of their one major festival Durga Puja, with enthusiasm and excitement, . it continues till upto bhai fhota ocaation.
| · From stick to Godess Bengal specializes in preserving the age old tradition of making clay idols. Such unmatched skills come in the limelight during the festive occasion of Durga Puja. Months before the Puja clay artisans start to breathe in life in the images of Durga. | |
| with jute strings. Making of Durga idols is a lengthy and a back breaking process. This is done diligently and methodically by the artisans. The skeleton structure of bamboo and straw are done by one group of artisans while the clay mixing and applications are done by another group and finally the head, palms and feet are done by the highest graded artisans or Pals.The second stage of idol making is applying the layers of | |
| | clay. This is done in three steps. The straw figurine of Goddess is applied with the first coat of clay solution where the percentage of water is high.
This application helps to fill the crevices left by the straw This application helps to fill the crevices left by the straw structure. The second layer is applied with great caution as it is the most important layer giving prominence to the figure. The clay mixed in this step is very fine without any impurities. Palms, head and feet which are separately made are attached with the main torso at this stage. The heads, palms and feet are made of clay. |
Naktala udayan Sangha ,the pujo committee has come with a brand new strategy Their director said…. “every year pujo preparation is getting more competitive in such a way that evry body is trying to creat something new without repetition
our concept is Ek shilay protime…nobody has been thought that it could also be a theme ..”
the director of Haridevpur Adorsha somity club said”our concept is to bring out the ultimate result of global warming ,a imaginary concept,,before it ,it hasbeen tried to show the problem how to restrict… etc …we tried tomake our level best to contribute the idea among the people”
· Sarodiya flavour
Durga Puja is celebrated from the sixth to tenth day of the waxing moon in the month of 'Ashwin', which is the sixth month in the Bengali calendar. It may also be held in the following month, Kartik. 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.
· Voice of puja
Durga puja mood starts off with the Mahishasuramardini' – a radio programme that has been popular with the community since the 1950s. 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 recited hymns from the scriptures from the Devi Mahatmyam or Chandi.
The days of fun and festivity start off with Shoshti, the day of arrival of Goddess Durga. Then follows the days of Saptami, Ashtami, Nabami and the day of farewell, Dashami.
Actor Aparajita Adhya said “pujo is something very special for us ,we all wait for a long year for the day panchammi.so there is no question to go out of Kolkata during puja time..no such schedule or diet .i normaly try to have al the food without restriction ,used to go for adda upto dashami ..tota fun, that’s all I cn say”
· Puja pandals
Temporary structures called pandals are constructed to venerate the Goddess Durga. . In playgrounds, traffic circles, ponds, wherever space may be available, elaborate structures called pandals 'are set up, many with nearly a year's worth of planning behind them 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. The pandals are of diverse kinds. Some are made of simple, attractive cloths while some are even made of grains, wheat, chocolate wrappers, Horlicks bottles, etc, results of great imagination and hard work. In Kolkata alone more than ten thousand pandals are set up, all clamouring for the admiration and praise of the populace.
· Joy of People
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. The city is adorned with lights. The people wear their new dresses during the six happy days of the great festival when they go out in the evenings with their family and friends to look at all the pandals, the idols of Goddess Durga, and the lightings. They stay awake the entire night and visit pandals by feet or by car. The entire state springs to life and the streets are full of people, cars and glittering lights the entire night.
· Delicious Moments
Durga Puja in Bengal is a carnival, where people from all backgrounds, regardless of their religious beliefs, participate and enjoy themselves to the hilt. Fairs and carnivals are set up where children as well as adults enjoy rides in the Giant Wheel, Break Dance, etc. Food stalls are set up everywhere. Durga Puja is such a festival during which everyone is happy. It is also a happy moment for the poor ‘puchkawallas’, ‘bhelpuri sellers’, etc.
· Compititions awards
Companies have identified Durga puja festival in Kolkata as a great opportunity to grab share of eyeballs of consumers. Due to steep buying behaviour of consumers, these companies generate high revenues from trade. Besides they also use this opportunity to make their brand popular among consumers. Firstly they offer huge sponsorships to the clubs who anyway spend millions every year on their pandal... Brands like Times of India,Abp Ananda, Pepsi have done this very successfully in the past. Secondly companies also organize multiple events through which they choose the best puja pandal of Kolkata, best artist of Kolkata, best ambience etc. This not only provides a platform for the puja pandals and artists to get recognized, Asian Paints has an important role in raising the standards of Durga Pujas in Kolkata. They started Asian Paints Sharad Samman in 1985 and have continued the tradition of identifying the best puja pandals of Kolkata every year. There are many similar Puja awards now in Kolkata like True Spirit Puja Awards, Pujo Perfect etc which choose the best pandals in Kolkata. These awards have proven to be very motivating to the puja organizers and artists and have raised the artistic creations of Kolkata Durga Pujas year after year.
· Subho bijaya
when the last day of the festival arrives-Bijoya Doshomi, everyone’s heart fills with sadness. They now have to bid farewell to Goddess Durga as she returns back. On that day 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'). Doshomi means the ‘tenth day’ and bijoy means ‘victory’. Although this last day signifies the end of the festival, but all the happiness shared and experienced during these six special days remain glowing in people’s minds like glittering jewels whose shine will never fade.
· Worship Of Goddess Laxmi
After durga puja,,laxmi puja takes the place of it … in the very next purnima which is called kojagori purnima,normally most of the Bengali people prayes for godess laxmi actor GOURAV CHATTERJEE with his sister namamita try to complete the laxmi puja with rituals .nabamita is also very exited for her upcoming marriage cere,,mony with actor Bhaswar
On the otherhand the stars like Aparijita Adhwya,loket, they were also busy with there laxmi puja at their home
Actress Aparajita said”I like concept of puja just like durga puja,as because we are a joint family it has become a culture of our family ,staring from alpona to colouring the idol,cooking everything I have to do single handed work”
where as actress loket said “ during three years I have started the laxmi pujo in my house.. kichuri labbra chatni payesh these are the common menu in this occation.. my father was a purohit ..and that is why puja attracts me the most whichever whatever kind of puja it is “
· Festive of lights
fter laxmi puja kali puja takes place in the very next amabosyo night ..the city becomes colourful once again ,
This time not only with light but also with sound..chaina lights used to grab the time of kali puja, people become busy for buying several,,, diwali meterials and gift,,, people calls the tarabati ,chorki,ronmoshal r the most common thing in this puja.
With Diwali just a few days away, markets and streets across the city are illuminated with a wide range of decorative lights, diyas, candles and lanterns. While hawkers attract potential customers with a display of colourful and flashing bulbs and LEDs, push-carts and shops sell handmade mitti diyas side-by-side, which, despite an increase in their prices, continue to remain the staple choice of most families. Customers are also spoilt for choice with plenty of...
Kali puja is also done during three days.some of the people do laxmi puja also in the span of these days
· bhaidhuj
Finally bhai fota comes .. it c=is called in bengali that” bhai er kopale dilam phota,jomer duare porlo kata , every bengali girl pray for their brother the complititing this.nowadays people smiles and says “gift de phota debo “
there are so many orphen people or the people who don’t have any won sister..with the initiative of the gvt. Now adays they also can get bhaifota.
tollywood hero Prosenjit Chatterjee takes bhai fota from his actress sister Pallavi chatterjee, said ”what is my blessings… I will definatly say be thiner “
Another actor said.” We can get our sis for few year ..because after few years they will get married ,nobody can give that asssurity where will they stay,wheather there is a posibility of bhai fota or not. So I from my side enjoy it a lot”
Finally entire festive mood comes to an end… people used to wait a more or less a year.
| · Hording,poster ,baricade shooping pandal making shows puja asche · Idols are done diligently and methodically by the artisans. · Puja duration · Voice of puja , Birendra krisna bhadra · pandals are constructed to venerate the Goddess Durga · puja pandal hopping · eating out · puja and advertisement,awards,compitions · sidur khela to abar esho ma · worship of godess laxmi · festival of light and sound · bhai er kopale dilam phota |
Soumya Roy
UG-BMS
3rd Semester
