Editor,
During our childhood in the mid-1970s to mid-1980s, Durga Puja used to get celebrated with utmost devotion according to rituals with dominance of Bhakti encompassing both the organisers and public.
Even at Sasthi evening, many pandals were still having the final touch with the Devi and her children still behind the veil. Only on Saptami morning, we used to get awakened by the rhythmic beats of Dhak, all puja rituals used to commence with rendition of Sanskrit mantras and people used to start flocking to the pandals. Devotional songs used to play around the pandal in a moderate tone rendering a divine ambience to the environment. Irrespective of theist or atheist, people used to visit the pandals for evening Arati which was an excellent display of play of lights with Dhak and bells tolling in unison.
But in the last 4 decades all things associated with Durga Puja have undergone a sea change in West Bengal.
Far from commencing the Puja on Saptami morning, many pandals and idols now open up for public “consumption” right from the Mahalaya itself thereby “promoting” the “laggard” 4-day Puja to a “modern” 10-day extravaganza! After all, the majority of these “glamorous” Puja committees do not care to actually offer homage to it through rituals, mantras, holy hymns or flowers!
Yes, Durga Puja of today is nothing but a fashion show of sorts with vulgar exhibition of flexing muscles —- be it monetary might or trophies garnered!
In this context, I desire to narrate my 2016 experience in Guwahati and Assam from Panchami to Saptami.
We had come up with a number of Durga puja pandals in the settlements of Nagaon and Sonitpur districts through which we passed in Saptami while on our road journey from Guwahati to Bhalukpong. I was greatly moved by the simplicity of the pandals in small towns and villages. Even the idols of the deities were built in a traditional style. The local people were visiting the pandals with utmost dignity. Chants of mantra were reverberating in the air rendering a divine environment all around.
Even in Guwahati, I had experienced modestly decorated pandals, simple lighting and almost a commotion-less atmosphere in Sasthi evening. Again what a contrast to Kolkata and West Bengal which have simply murdered the essence and significance of Durga Puja and polluted the environment through vulgar commercialisation right from the day of Mahalaya itself!
I feel proud for the Assamese community for their dedication towards their own language and culture and for the dignified celebration of Durga Puja. And feel ashamed of being a Bengali who have sacrificed their language and heritage under the marauding feet of Hindi, Bollywood and brute commerce and have got relegated to a rootless community with no unique features to speak of.
Kajal Chatterjee
Via e-mail
