The resounding beats of the dhak , the echoes of the conch, the mouth-watering smell of bhog , Kolkata-style street food, fun, fervour, and not to miss the fish: it is that time again when a part of Bengal will come alive in the cultural potpourri here. The city is also set to welcome the goddess Durga and this time, the celebrations are only bigger and better.
For the close to five lakh Bengalis who have made Bengaluru their home, Durga Pujo, which starts from the day of Mahalaya, is all about grandeur: both food., cloth and celebration-wise.
The Bengalee Association, which is the oldest and largest associations of the community in the city, has a grand programme lined up for its 67th Durga Pujo celebration. “We get a footfall of around 20,000 people every day for four days. This year’s highlight is the decoration which is based on the Ramayana series paintings of famed artist Jamini Roy,” says Runu Roy, president of the association.
Over the years, many puja committees have come up in many neighbourhoods.
Partho Ghosh has been in the city for over 12 years. It was four years ago that he along with friends decided to organise Pujo in his own locality: J.P. Nagar. Under the banner of Anandadhara, the group has been involving the Bengali families in all the preparation. “It is a community affair for us. Helped by artists from Kolkata, our family members start the preparation two months before the Pujo. Unlike the big pandals, here people can go up to the idol and give their offerings. We try to keep the celebration as traditional as it is in Bengal,” he says. To encourage locals to also participate, they organise Kannada musical evening on two days.
For non-Bengalis too, the festival has a magnetic pull: food. “I can’t have enough of Bengali food. And Durga Pujo is a time to revel in it. I definitely look forward to the Pujo every year,” says Ashwat R.
