The Mahacelebration

From bringing the bodhan to Sindoor Khela, the Bengali way of Durag Puja has always been enormous, every day, prefixed with maha corroborates the fact.

Durga Puja celebration by city-based Bengali Durga Puja samitis offers a peek into Bengal8217;s rich culture

From bringing the bodhan to Sindoor Khela, the Bengali way of Durag Puja has always been enormous, every day, prefixed with maha corroborates the fact. Come mahashasthi the festivities will be in full swing with various puja samitis coming up with pandals and arrangements that would prove to be a peek into Bengal8217;s biggest festival and grandeur associated with it.

8220;Staying out of Kolkata we miss on so many things of Bengal, Durga puja gives an opportunity to feel close to Kolkata once again,8221; says Amrita Banerjee, HR consultant in a firm.

Giving some details about the puja, she says that the goddess is welcomed on mahashasthi, and on Bijoyadashmi devotees bid adieu to her. The celebration continues even after the tenth day, that is Bijoya. 8220;Mahasthami is the most important day. The celebration being a more common one gives us an opportunity to interact fellow Bengalis in Pune,8221; adds Banerjee.

The main attraction of the celebration is the Dhak, a special drum that is played on all four days and Dhunuchi naach that is done during the aarti of the goddess in the evening. Famous for their love for food, Bengalis have khichuri, chorchori and payesh termed as Bhog as offering to the goddess.

The Bangiya Sanskriti Samsad, Pune has organised a five-day festivity to rejoice the occasion of Durga Puja at the Congress Bhavan near Shivaji Nagar, 8220;Different competitions are held and various food stalls are put where we relish the scrumptious snacks and delicacies of Bengali sweets,8221; says Samiran Bhowmik, trustee of the organisation. 8220;Every year we have singers from Kolkata coming down for the event. There is a recital of the holy books and a programme on Rabindra Sangeet,8221; says Indraniel Sen, who visits the event every year.

The celebrations of Navratri have already geared up at the Kali Bari Samiti in Khadki, where events have been lined up from October 4. Various cultural programmes like milan mela, puspanjali, sindoor utsav and many other musical programmes will be held.