Journaling Prompt: Festival Memories. Long read.
Durga Pujo (that’s how puja is pronounced in Bengali) is THE festival for the Bengalis. Growing up, celebrating this festival has many memories.
The Maharashtra Board always had the half yearly exams during this period. So, the focus was on studying and being prepared for the exams. Exams meant half day school, so visiting the pandal in the afternoon was possible if the exam on the next say was manageable.
First things first, though. We would have at least 4 new dresses made for Shoptomi, Oshtomi, Nobomi and Doshomi. The 3 things to remember in the Bengali language – a is pronounced as o as in the first o of doctor, note that aa is pronounced as aa, there is only sh and no s pronunciation (except in a particular, unpopular dialect), v is pronounced as b always.
The protima (idol) is usually brought in on the 6th day. And celebrations start from the 7th day of Navratri. Nowadays in Kolkata, the idols are open to the public earlier as well so that crowd control is facilitated.
The closest pandal (in this word a is pronounced normally as a) to where I stay, is the one at Shivaji Park. So that’s where we went and that’s where we continue to go. Things have changed but there is a certain familiarity in the environment which makes me feel at home.
Mom would try and make us give onjoli on at least one day, oshtomi if possible. We would fast till we gave onjoli. And then go and have shingaaraa (samosa), Kochuri and sometimes even the breaded fillet fish fry which is the favourite of most Bengalis and even the non-Bengalis. After that we would just chat or go through the many stalls displaying a variety of products – clothes, jewellery, books and other things. 1pm we would have bhog of Khichudi and Laabra (a mixed vegetable), tomato chutney, payesh (rice kheer) and roshogolla. One day we would go to Ramkrishna Mission for bhog. Even today, the taste of the bhog there is different.
And Ma would volunteer to make aashol bhog (the real bhog which is offered to the idol).
And one night we would go pandal hopping – paying obeisance to all the protimas in other parts of the city. We used to hire a van and go with family friends or take our vehicles and go together.
In the evening we would again go to the pandal and chat with friends, eat food from the stalls and probably buy some stuff from the stalls. There would also be some entertainment program – song, dance, movie or theatre. On Doshomi (Dussera), we would go for shidur khalaa* (the first a is pronounced as the a in bat). There is no bhog on doshomi. We would pick up macher kaaliaa (fish in a rich, thick gravy) from one of the stalls for lunch and have it with rice with the first course being daal and aaloo bhaajaa (fried potato juliennes). Bengali meals will have one or more of shaag (leafy vegetables like methi or palak), daal and bhaajaa (brinjal fry is another favourite), and a vegetable before indulging in fish/ egg/ chicken/ meat.
Then we would go to the beachside in Shivaji park and watch all the bishorjon (immersions). At that time this was the only location for immersions. Now there’s Juhu Beach as well. We would go early so that we got space to sit on the parapet. After that we would go home, dress up and return to the pandal. We would get the shaanti jol sprinkled on our head and then head to the corner stall for moghlai porotha (can be loosely described as a paratha with a layer of egg and mince meat) and kosha mangsho (meat in a rich, thick gravy). That would be the end of the celebrations.
Today we barely manage to go one day for onjoli. We don’t wait for bhog. It’s too hot and too much time to wait between onjoli and bhog. Last year we got the packed bhog. My daughter and I go to Gypsy for lunch and then have a little of the bhog at home. Going out in the evening does not happen. Pandal hopping does not happen. One new dress is bought. Sometimes none. This year hubby is in Geneva. Daughter has been requested to visit from Pune. Mom no longer volunteers. Shoptomi and Oshtomi are over the weekend. There will be crowds galore. Wondering what would be the best way to celebrate!
*Refer to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindur_Khela to know more about this ritual.
Comments