Barun Gupta, Soumen Kunti, Arup Samanta, Robin Chattar, Sandeep Gour are perhaps some names unheard of in Madurai. They are the low profile goldsmiths living in and around South Masi Street trying to eke out a living from low business and slow economy. Far away from their native, they along with their families have made the temple town their second home and adapted to its customs and culture, food and lifestyle.
But come autumn, they become the “Kolkata dada” and usher in a glimpse of Bengal here. This season is no different but for the financial struggle. The cost of protima (idol) brought from Salem has risen to Rs.30,000 and transportation to Rs.15,000. The mandapam rent has escalated to Rs.7,000 per day and Rs.25,000 on the day of bhog because of requirement of larger space. Two dhaakis (drummers) are brought from Medinipur for Rs.25,000 while the special priest comes from Haldia for Rs.65,000. Then there are additional miscellaneous expenses towards electricity and gas connection charges, prasad arrangement for 1,000 people on all days, main bhog prasad on one day, entertainment activities and small competitions for the children and arrangements for idol visarjan on vijayadashami.
“We have a tight budget between Rs.3.5 and 4 lakhs,” says Barun, adding that the 100 families donate according to their capacity. There is no other collection or sponsorship. “With the limited budget, we also try to save some for next year’s puja.”
With the ashtami celebrations on at the Patcharisikara Mandapam on South Masi Street today (Thursday), nostalgia strikes hard.
I remember as a child, we would run for the first glimpse of the goddess on the soshti evening awaiting her bodhon (unveiling devi’s face) to the mesmerising beats of the dhaak and the brass gong, the scent of the shiuli (night jasmine) flowers and the dhunuchi – the coconut fibre smoke mixed with camphor and the blowing of the sankh. There would be palpable revelry all around.
On panchami, the kids would help their mothers in setting up stalls selling typical homemade delicacies from cutlets and chops to mangsher ghooghni (mutton curry with chickpeas) and mishti ( sweets). We would permanently park ourselves at the puja pandal taking part in every activity and competition over the next four days. Wonder if any other festival has quiz, sports, declamation, poem recitation, conch blowing, alpona drawing as part of official programme besides the late night musical soirées, theatre and bands playing.
A month before the puja we would start shopping for new dresses and also rehearsing for the group songs or solo dances, plays or dance dramas to be staged during the puja festivities. The afternoon’s bhog prasad and night feasting at the various stalls over endless sessions of adda completed the celebrations. We loved the teeming crowds of the puja pandals as there was a strange discipline in that chaos.
Here, there is no ananda mela and no daily bhog. No pandal-hopping because of single pujo in town. In fact there is no show stealer pandal either. The five day puja (that gets over with doshomi on Saturday this year) is held within the safe confines of a kalyana mandapam with frugal decoration. And till you are inside the venue the sounds of dhaak do not reach out to any roar to awaken you.
But I cannot be complaining because my heart goes out to Barun Gupta and the organising team fighting the rising cost of conducting the puja each year. Unlike Kolkata where the country’s most expensive pandal at Rs.10 crore has been built this year modelled after Mahishmati’s kingdom or other cities that see a carnival-like atmosphere during the five days of Durga puja, Madurai is far removed from all such ostentation and cacophony.
Yet, I am filled with gratitude towards the goldsmith community because of their effort I am able to have darshan of the pristine face and overwhelming beauty of Maa Durga. It is the spirit of worship and the idol of the devi that ring in splendour and the simple celebrations here provide an opportunity for self-introspection.
As a little girl I was fed on stories about the goddess epitomising shakti. Maa Durga was my wonder woman who destroyed the evil and protected her people. In her homecoming today, I feel privileged that I am able to seek her blessings and continue to walk within the armor of maa’s love. The festivities do not last forever. But the hope that she will return to the town next year does.
This column features human inspiring stories from Madurai and surroundings. E-mail soma.basu@thehindu.co.in to tell her about people you know who are silently working to make a difference in your respective areas
