VADODARA, Sept 30: Fun, food and frolic, this is just the festive time of the year. While the Gujaratis celebrate Navratri it is Durga puja for the Bengalis wherever they are settled.Strange but true that the cultural capital of the state too is not an exception to be a part of this festival. A larger section of the Bengali community who reside in the city are also privileged to have five such pujas here. One of the older ones in the city to have started this is, however, the Banga Sanskriti Sangha. The sangha was started in a very humble way and the puja began just as a get-together for the Bengali community of the city. People from various parts of the city would converge at the Kirti mandir where the pooja was held and not only spend their evenings for the five days of the pooja but also worship the Goddess of Power - Durga.Speaking about some of the activities of the Sangha Gautam Majumdar said, ``This is one of the poojas that draws the largest crowd from the city.'' He added that it was not only due to the seating arrangements that attracted people but also the various cultural programmes that were held during the pooja.He said to see to it that there were not many food stalls due to lack of space but the bhog (food) were provided to all those who came to worship the goddess during these days.Majumdar added that the goddess were made by the artisans from Calcutta and that was the reason that most of them had a semblance with the murtis in other side of the country. ``Like in houses of Calcutta the murtis here to are made on the same lines to give a very homely touch to the pooja,'' added Majumdar.The members of this Sangha also host various cultural programmes during the other times of the year.
