Jaipur: Bengalis all set to observe Kali puja on day of Diwali

JAIPUR: As the city plunged into Diwali mood from Saturday, the Bengali community in the city is busy with their last-minute preparation of Kali puja. Most Durga puja committees along with a few cultural associations in the city would worship Maa Kali – the goddess of strength on Monday.
“Unlike Durga puja, Kali puja would be a low-key affair. This puja takes place late in the evening and continue till late night.However, because of grahan (eclipse) on Tuesday, we are going to observe this puja for two days this year. On Wednesday, we are going to immerse the idol after offering community bhog to our patrons and visitors,” said Dhruva Dutta, the secretary of Adi Shakti Welfare Trust in Malviya Nagar.
Being residents of Rajasthan, most Bengalese in the city try to maintain the ritual of the locals on Diwali and also observe the Kali puja ritual simultaneously.
“For our case on Diwali, we first perform Laxmi puja at our home and then go to the puja pandal to offer Kali puja. We do have bhog at the night after the Kali puja gets over. But, last again on the next day – which is known as Annakut locally – we offer another round of community bhog,” said Sudipto Sen, from the Jaipur Durga Bari.
At the outskirts of the city in Vidyadhar Nagar organisers, who constructed the Lotus Temple, are also panning for a grand celebration of Kali puja.
“Besides the traditional puja rituals, we have decided to arrange a massive fire show this year. We have procured crackers worth more than Rs 1 lakh to be showcased on Monday night,” said Samir Dandapat from this puja committee.
Last but not the least is the Jaipur Kali Bari Society where Bengalese in Jaipur offer prayers on every no-moon days. “Our is 38 years old Kali puja. We observe this puja maintaining all the rituals strictly. We don’t make idols and immerse it. We have an permanent idol of Ma Kali and we are worshipping the idol for years,” said Subir Debnath, from Jaipur Kali Bari Society.