Bengali Durga puja venues to reverberate with conch & dhaak

NAGPUR: With five days of Durga puja commencing from Friday, Bengali community across the city is all set to welcome the goddess at various pandals. The city has a hierarchy of venues with the Durga puja at Dinanath High School being considered ‘adi puja’ as it was the first to be formed about a 100 years ago, says businesswoman Sonali Pathak. “It was started by my grandfather who was then the principal of the school,” says Pathak.The next big puja is at Moti Bagh which began in the era when Bengal Nagpur Railway used to operate here. The third in order is the CPWD Durga Puja which is held at the community hall of CPWD quarters, Katol Road.
“These are the most auspicious days for us as it is like a daughter coming home,” explained Pathak. “We wear our finest jewels and clothes and spend time with Maa Durga at the venue where the idols are installed,” she said. Celebrations continue all through the three important days of Navratri, which are Saptami, Ashtami and Navami. “On the 10th day, we offer ‘boron’ or the final aarti and feed the goddess sweets and special paan. Sindhoor is first offered to the deity and then we apply it on each other,” she added.
The number of puja venues in the city has been on the rise as most like to celebrate in a homely atmosphere. The puja at Dixit Nagar on Naari Road was initiated seven years ago by 42 Bengali families residing here. “Nearly 800 people visit our pandal over three days and take bhog,” said Mandira Mukherjee, one of the organizer. And it’s not just the traditional puja, but garba too is performed by ladies and men. “There are a lot of non-Bengalis here and through garba we are able to involve everybody,” she said.
The Nabanna Durga Puja, which used to be held at the ground on Wardha Road, has now shifted to Manish Nagar this year. “The ongoing Metro work would have created traffic problems so we have moved the puja pandal on a ground opposite Kachore Lawns,” informed Sanjay De, the founder member. For the last two years, the celebration was a nine-day affair with scores of stalls. “But, we have cut it down to five days this time and have some food stalls,” he informed. “These four days are significant in terms of community and family connect,” Dr Manoj Sarkar said. “Generations come together as many come home for the occasion,” he added.