Oct11
THE ESSENCE OF DURGA PUJA LIES IN TOGETHERNESS
Festivals have been a special part for the culture in Bengal. It is not just the rituals and traditions, it is also about the different customs and the spirit of Durga Puja bringing out the feeling of togetherness. Durga Puja witnesses an integral transformation of uproar of fun, food, and fervor and with the onset of her departure, there is an infusion of different emotions.
1. The Preparation:
After months of preparations, there is a different ambience that fills the city with a varied range of emotions. The days of puja, lasting only for a couple days, we gear up to bid goodbye to Goddess Durga and her children. The décor fascinatingly organized, hanging even after few days just for reminiscence. The vibrancy is still intact even after the puja, projects the harmony, warmth and happiness amongst its residents.
2. The Celebration:
The air is filled with an incomprehensible essence of togetherness and the most common sight is greeted with the faded beats of the dhak. The celebration of Durga Puja in apartments and housing complexes are more like family gathering. Even though all celebrations for Durga Puja, including the Anjali, Shandhi Puja, dhunuchi naach and sindoor khela has peaked completion, the environment is filled with the combination of emotions of joy and tears for Her return the next year.
3. Bidding adieu:
One of the highlights and integral part of Durga Puja that stays intact throughout the celebrations is the friendly chat session with friends, family, flat-mates or even complete strangers. With the festivities coming to an end, we see an amalgamation of emotions that is experienced by the residents. Even the immersion has it’s own charm of portraying togetherness.
4. Get-together over food:
The days after Bijoya, is accompanied by get-togethers amongst the residents.There are gatherings that steer into conversations amongst the people of the community over meals. A camaraderie follows with more celebrations over home-cooked meals by the residents, remembering the happy moments of Durga Puja, the events, the bhog and the emotional farewell of the Goddess, reflecting that the essence of Durga Puja lies within the unity amongst the people.
With the departure of Devi Durga, we come together as one community, irrespective of our religion, irrespective of our differences, we embrace the togetherness that lies in the essence of Durga Puja and even after it.