Ya devi
sarbabhuteshshu,
SAKTI rupena
sanksthita
Namasteshwai
Namasteshwai Namasteshwai
Namo Namaha
Very very soon, the radio is gonna go abuzz with these heavy
words from an even heavier throat. That time of the year is here. The new
clothes smell so good, so fresh and so pretty. We as a community are gearing up
to welcome Ma Durga to come visit us
for 5 days. Festivities would start. There will be songs and dances. There will
be drama enactments. There will be a lot of nice things to eat. There will not
be calorie consciousness. There will be 5 days of no flame in every bong
household. This is pujo as we know. This
is the pujo that we yearn for all
year round.
A typical day during the pujo
starts with Uposh/vrat/fast. We get up, bathe, don new day
wear and off to the pandal to offer
our prayers with utmost sincerity. Then comes pushpanjali. After the general prayer of wellbeing, we offer our deity
fragrant flower and three leaves of wood apple tree, in hope that she blesses
and accepts our prayers. Sheesh, even in prayers we offer bribes. But it’s a bribe
that gives the nature a push to make it more beautiful. These plucked flowers
and leaves, ensure that the tree produces more fragrance and more colour around
us.
After pujo, the
breakfast commences. Every pandal
would host a couple of street food stalls from where, depending on the taste
and temperament, we choose our breakfast. For me, my heart just desires a good
plate of fresh puffy Radhaballabi with alur torkari (deep fried lentil stuffed
flat breads with potato curry) or korai shutir kachori with alur torkari (deep
fried green pea stuffed flat breads with potato curry). These fresh treats are
really something of indulgence, but this is festive time, and it calls for
indulgence. I did forget to mention that before breakfast, a simple proshad of fresh cut fruits which were
offered to the deity, is passed around as well.
The lunch is just the bhog.
That divine intervention in making that simple
khichri just takes the dish to a new level of taste. Also its fun and
frolic, you stand in a line with your friends, talking and chatting, while
flaunting your beautiful day wear saree; that in itself is enough to notch up the
taste parameters of a khichri which is made in bulk and served to everyone who
comes in.
After lunch, it’s time to head home. The evening needs to be
prepared for. The new night wear saree comes out. Home facials are done. Make up
is selected. And off we go again in the finest of our glory. Everyone in the pandal would look party ready. It’s a beautiful
place to be. The programmes start. The stalls light up. Friends catch up to a dinner
of fish fry or Frankie’s with loads of cold drinks flowing about.
This is my fondest memory of pujo. All my life we have done this. And for the further years, we
will continue to do this. Pujo is a
celebration. A festival where we celebrate each of the five days. And today, we
would love to tell you about it. A group of 4 bloggers have come together to
make u feel at home in the festivities. 2 are coming straight from the heart of
all merry festivities in Kolkata. I am trying to explore pujo in a new city- Gurgaon. And another blogger is coming all the
way from Australia. We have planned many wonderful things for the coming days. So
keep checking and keep clicking!! Cheers!! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment
We are always eager to hear your take on food, my way!!!