Significance of Durga Puja

Unquestionably autumnal Durgapuja is a major festival of the Hindus all over the world but there is no barrier for people of other communities to join and enjoy the joy of this festival. It may be a subject matter of research how the odd time invocation (‘Okalbodhon’) of Ramchandra in ‘Treta Yug’ to kill Ravan has taken a cosmopolitan shape during the flow of ages. However, there is no denying the fact that this cosmopolitan festival is not at all confined to religious definition only but has been extended to other areas like art and literature, economy and culture, even politics.

Since ancient times Durgapuja is celebrated in eastern part of India. In Ramcharit, written by Sandhyakar Nandi in 12th century, worship of Uma at Barendri has been mentioned indirectly. He has written–“This festival is celebrated in autumn, sometimes in late autumn”. Krittibas (author of the Ramayan, an Indian epic) has termed autumn as “odd time” and spring as “perfect time” for this festival but long before Krittibas, it has been mentioned in ‘Markandaya Puran’ that annual worship of this goddess is celebrated in the autumn. In Kabikankan Chandi of Mukundaram Chakravarty written in 16th century ‘Mashishashurmardini’ (the killer of  buffalo demon) shape of goddess Chandi alongwith other members of her family has been portrayed (Desh, Kolkata, autumn supplement, 1390).

Children of goddess Durga are individually worshipped. Laxmipuja is exclusively a family festival. Almost similar is Sarswati (goddess of learning) Puja but educational institutions are its main place. Deepavali, or Diwali i.e. festival of light (known as Kalipuja or Shyamapuja in West Bengal and Bangladesh) is the biggest festival of the Hindus in northern India. Its main theme is coming back to light removing darkness. Ganesh puja is not widely celebrated in West Bengal and Bangladesh though statue of Ganesh is placed in business concerns of Hindus of this area but Ganesh is a superior god in western India. Western television channels have termed him as the Elephant God. It may be a matter of analysis how, surpassing mother, son has become a major god there.

Different types of pujas are celebrated in villages but Durgapuja is the major one. Housewives do not forget the date of Laxmipuja just after five days of immersion. After one month Kalipuja is held in darkness of midnight amidst flood of light. Students wait for the day of Sarswati Puja in winter morning but in today’s hectic life puja mainly means Dugapuja.

Initially, name of the festival was Durgapuja. Literally, puja means worship but no festival remains confined to the circle of religion only.  Along the passage of time, crossing the fringe of religion, it has been turned into ‘Durgotsav’ (festival of Durga). As held in autumn, it is also called ‘Sharadiya Utsav’ (festival of autumn). Festival normally means ceremony of pleasure but to be practical, life is not much joyful now-a-days. Pleasure is very much lacking in life of Bengalees. Despite that, mother of the world comes every year alongwith her family members from Kailash to this world. We wait for these five days eagerly but the days are not fixed. As Bengali almanac (lunar year) is followed the dates are changed in every year. Let us have a look at the dates of arrival of goddess Durga in a few earlier years (in the graph).

Gesture of festival days is naturally different from other days. Mother comes at ‘sheuli’ flower bloomed autumn morning riding on raft of white clouds. It has been beautifully described in poems of Rabindranath. Flavour of festival flows from Dhakeswari to Nageswari. Worship of demon killer mother Durga is arranged everywhere according to ability and taste.

Along the passage of time many things have changed, and with them the nature of festival has also changed. During the days of Permanent Settlement introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 Durgapuja was celebrated in the houses of Zamindars because subjects were poor and only Zamindars had the financial ability to arrange a long and expensive festival like Durgapuja. Almost all Zamindars resided in Kolkata, but on the occasion of this annual festival, they came back to their villages.

Besides Zamindars, rich businessmen also had the ability to arrange Durgapuja. The age of Permanent Settlement has elapsed long ago but some families are still continuing the tradition of holding Durgapuja in house though cosmopolitan pujas have taken the major place. During 60’s and 70’s of last century there was practically no television in this region. The advent of Durgapuja was heralded through radio transmission of Mahalaya but radio was also rare in villages. Irrespective of age and sex it was to some extent mandatory to listen to Mahalaya seven days ahead of beginning of Durgapuja. Recitation by Birendra Krshna Bhadra from the Chandi and music composed by Ramkumar Chaterjee never turned old though the same record was played every year.

Cosmopolitan shape of Durgapuja is now very wide. The appearance of mother Durga has changed. It is no more confined to her family members only. Hundreds of mythological and real life figures (Rammohon, Bankinchandra, Rabindranath, Sharatchandra, Vivekananda, Nazrul, etc.) have been added to the list. The number of statues is increasing every year. This trend started with preparing more than 300 statues at Dumuria upazila in Khulna more than 17 years ago. The number of statues in Durgapuja of Shikderbari of Hakimpur village under Fakirhat upazila in Bagerhat district exceeds 600. Probably it is the biggest collection on the occasion of Durgapuja in Bangladesh. It is not possible to accommodate so many statues within temple premises. Therefore, statues are now placed outside. From this grand show, it is difficult to determine the depth of devotion but there is no doubt about tendency to show pomp and attitude of competition.

At present Durgapuja is not merely a religious festival but also a part of cultural and economic life of Bengalees. Innovative ideas of sculptors add novelty and variety to shape of idols every year. New items are being included in the list of construction materials. Apart from traditional soil, things like bamboo, wood, empty bottles, jute stick, plastic, paddy, rags, wings of birds, sponge wood and many other non traditional items are being used to make statues and decoration more modern and more attractive. Traditional material i.e. soil is not also available free of cost. Decoration materials, stage setting, lighting, prasad (holy food offered to gods), sound system, honourarium of Brahmin everything revolves round economy. Demand of sweetmeats increases in daily menu. Cows are tired of meeting the daily need of milk. How they would satisfy the increased demand of festival days? Whatever be the exigency, Mrs. Lady Cow would not give a single drop of additional milk from her store. Therefore, amid contradiction between demand and supply, finding out alternative is not only a necessity but indispensible also. So, though unethical or illegal, adulteration becomes inevitable because necessity knows no law.

Whatever be the price, items like wood, bamboo, hay, rope, flower, fruit, mango leaves and leaves of wood apple, light, decoration materials, chair, table have no alternative. So, prices of these rise high and amount of profit remains not at all negligible. Traders of these items are also sons of (Jagatjanani, Mother of the World). They also have the privilege to earn profit festival days.

Apart from all these, market of Durgapuja covers wide range of economy. Drowsy economy becomes lively ahead of Durgapuja. Publicity of new sarees and garments prevailed in earlier days also. In this age of colour, that publicity is brighter, more attractive and through colourful audio visual online medium its speed is simply irresistible. Pictures of colourful sarees and pompous ornaments are equally visible in remote areas also through television channels. Long discussion is held among women regarding wearing of sarees from saptami to dashami. Whatever be the ability, expectation to get the best is extreme. Glow of satisfaction flows in wealthy families. Tear of frustration rolls in houses of the poor due to non fulfillment of expectation. Rift between money bag and shopping bag gets wide.

In western countries and Australia ‘sale’ i.e. selling garments and gift items at lesser price, even at 50% discount, begins ahead of festival so that people from all walks of life can enjoy the pleasure of festival. On the other hand, in our country the picture is reverse. Ahead of a festival, price of essentials rises. Every year newspapers report that price is higher than that of earlier year. It becomes difficult to bring smile on pale faces in many families. Very sad consequences are not also rare. Those who are involved in the process of producing and marketing can think over the matter and introduce sale on discount. Only then festival would become happier and joyful to all.   

The writer is a former Commissioner of Taxes. He can be contacted at [email protected]