CALCUTTA, Sept 28: Once confined to the stately mansions of the aristocracy, the saga of the Goddess Durga in the paras (neighbourhood) of the common man began in the early 20th Century when the pujas slowly transformed into the national festival of Bengal.The sarbojanin (community) puja had its beginning in the baroari puja organised by twelve yaars (friends) at Guptipara in Hooghly district in 1790.In the metropolis, the first community puja was started as late as 1910 at Balaram Basu Ghat in Bhawanipore in South Calcutta by the Sanatan Dharmotsahini Sabha.Next year followed the Shyampukur Adi Sarbojanindurgotsav. The community pujas, performed for the good of all, caught the imagination of the people who were debarred from participating in the Bonedi Badi (aristocratic) festivities. They ended the distinction between the high and the low and even women began to play an active part.Soon a spate of pujas followed some ofthe oldest being, ``Pataldanga Sri Sri Saradiya Mahapuja, Bagbazar Sarbojanin Durgotsav Samity and Simla Bayam Samity''.What started as `Babu Utsav' was transformed into `Lokutsav' (folk festival). The nautches, singing competition, folk theatres in the houses of the zamindars were replaced by musical soiree and cultural functions.The `Baroari' or `Sarbojanin puja' became the pivotaround which a new folk culture began to evolve.The `Baroari puja' saw the rise of clay modelers of Kumartuli, Bengal's exquisite pith work artisans, evocative pandal makers and electricians of Chandanagar renowned for their fairy lights. It is their concerted efforts that gives the city its resplendence over the four-day festivities.Even today the idol is cast in the old mould `ekchala' (single backdrop) pattern with exquisite `shola' (pith) work. Its third eye is of solid gold. Kumari puja is held on `Navami'. Lakshmi, Jadadhatri and Saraswati pujas are also organised here.
