Even though I am not a Bengali,Durga Pooja ,has always been a special event for me,every year.Was born at Narhi,in Lucknow,where we lived in an area called Kali Niwas,which means the House of Goddess Kali,and as the name implies,it was a huge haveli sort of a building ,sprawling amidst three roads,which had been divided over four generations,housing at that time over twenty Bengali families,with we being one of the only two non Bengali occupants in it.So my child hood was spent amongst Bengalis,and it was natural for me to understand Bengali comfortably,and speak adequately fluently.More than the language ,it was the Bengali rituals,festivals and weddings that we grew up with,and Durga Pooja ,being the most significant
The preparation would start well in advance,specially in getting clothes stitched and in rehearsing stage shows,skits and even long plays for the Pooja celebrations.Stage being ,one of my passions,I was always actively involved in it.The pooja,of our colony,was held in the municipal school adjacent to the Kali Niwas,and each and every one of the colony was actively involved in it,and the main task being that of collecting chanda ( Donation/contribution ) for the celebrations.It was while collecting the chanda and distributing the pamphlets,that I understood the meaning of Shree Shree Durga Pooja.I used to wonder,why a double Shree,till I realized that one was for the Goddess,and the other for her pooja,which was as auspicious and reverent as the goddess herself.
The theme of the pandal and the colour combinations for the idols were planned well in advance and changed every year
During the pooja days,we would wake with the load mersmerizng chants of Ya Devi sarv Bhootey and when the pandaal was set and the Holy Idols had been established,our day would start very early.Have a bath,no breakfast,and rush for the pandaal.While the ladies prepared the prasaad,and the elder males,made the arrangements for the pooja and the marketing,we kids had two major tasks,to clean up the area,especially where the idols were kept and to prepare the prasad in donas ( small bowls made out of dried leaf )The simple prasad,consisting of boondi,chopped bananas and apples,along with a piece of coconut,distributed after Prabhataanjali ( morning offerings) use to be our breakfast.That little prasad in the donas,which had the earthly smell of dried leave,eaten amidst the aroma of the pooja essence,was a wholesome meal.
We then got ready for the day and shouted,at each door and window,to collect the group.This ordeal,of collecting the 25-30 odd,boys and girls, ranging front 5 to 25 years would take almost an hour and then we would head straight to Bengali Club,at Hewwate road,which connects Hussain Ganj to Havlock road.Bengali Club was the main and biggest hub of pooja celebrations.After whiling some time,and dancing around on the music,we prepared the tables and arranged the chairs for the Bhog.These were only for the elderly and VIPs,rest of us,sat on the floor and ate.Poeple took turns in serving and eating,The taste and smell of yummy hot khichdi with cabbage,sweet chatni and begun bhaji ,served with salt and papad,ending with a gulabjamun or paisam is still so vivid in my mind.Post lunch we would go to visit the pandals at Vidyant college and kali baadi on Havlock Road.and occasionally to Model town area,which was the bengali area of Lucknow and then return to our local pandal,to set it for the evening
The tables were removed,and chairs were spread out,to convert the pandal into a mini theatre.We would go home,to change in our new clothes and return soon,to start the variety entertainment.Everyone was given a chance,and there was a small prize,even if just two morten toffees for every participant.We would wind up early here,then head for Lalbagh.The pandal at the park next to Darulshafa opposite the Lucknow municipal office,was always the most attractive ,not only due to the grand beautiful,bigger than life,goddess and other idols,but due to the big mela.( fair) The magnificent Durga,with her colorful clothes,dazzling jewelry,enchanting lotus eyes would almost come alive,at the beats of the dhool(drums) and the frenzied dance of the devotees with the earthen pots emitting the fumes of blissful divine aroma.Many ladies,dressed in their traditional cream silk sarees with red jari border and their big round red bindis, added to the festivityThe mela had everything-food stalls,games,swings and puppet shows.Hoopla,lucky wheel and shooting the baloons were most popular.After enjoying the games,and feasting on chat,biryani and ice-cream,we would land up at Bengali Club again,for a late night Bengali movie and return home past mid night.
On one of the evening we would go to other colonies,to present our,shows,skits and plays,and would get VIP treatment and special food to eat.This would go on night after night,and we would enjoy every second without even the slightest sign of tiredness.On the Bijoy Dashmi day,we would go visiting our neighbors to wish them and take their blessings.all would serve,delicious sweets,like sandesh,rosogulla etc,and the best part was that we were permitted to carry home,our share of snacks ,that we could not finish.
These wonderful memories of Durga Pooja are marred with two unpleasant ones too,related to the celebrations. The idols were immersed in Gomti river after Pooja,every year,usually at the Shaheed Smarak area. The idols were carried in the boats and immersed in the centre of Gomti.One year,on the day after emersion,it came to our knowledge to the utter shock to all ,that one of the boat guy,had taken the idols,and had them immersed at a place where the water was shallow and had subsequently removed the clothes ,ornaments and other offerings.He was bashed black and blue,till he hardly had a single unbroken bone in his body.but something worse,that happened was a real tragic incident,which I shall never forget.During emersion,two boats were moving side by side,and young men were dancing on the boats.Two of them dancing on either of the boat,tried to hold hands and dance,the boats got disbalanced and toppled and all on the boat drowned.It was a harrowing event………..twelve young men,three from the same family,loosing life together.The whole of Lucknow was drowned in sorrow !
I left lucknow to join AFMC,at pune in 78,but luckily didn’t miss Pooja there too.Army Medical Corps,having its origin from Bengal Medical Corps,celebrates durga pooja with great fun and fervor,It was celebrated in the huge lawn outside the Command Hospital and was great fun.Being the dramatic and Hobbies secretary of AFMC,I was actively involved in the decoration and the daily entertainment programmes.One day’s show,was exclusively by students of AFMC.We would get famous artist to perform every year,and I had the luck to watch Manna Dey,Hemant Da and dance performances of Ravi Shankar live there,besides some wonderful movies of Satyajeet Ray,including Jolsa Ghar .
Durga Pooja still remains close to my heart ,but in the Huge pandals,and the lavish celebrations of today ,I often miss,the warmth of those good old simple days and strong bonds
Joi Ma Durga ! Joi Ma Kali !!
Dr Sanjay Kapoor , Lucknow