Basanti Puja turns 50 at Patna Kalibari

Patna: Many may not know that Goddess Durga and her divine entourage – Goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati and Lords Kartikeya and Ganesha – descend not only in autumn, but in spring too. It is this lesser-known arrival during Chaitra Navaratra that the Bengali community commemorates as Basanti Puja.According to priests, this is the "original" Durga Puja – when, as per Hindu mythology, the Mother Goddess was invoked by the devas to vanquish the demon Durgamasura, thus earning the name Durga.In Patna, Basanti Puja is observed at no fewer than four locations – at the Bengali Akhara, which marks its 32nd year; at Patna Kalibari; and at two heritage family pujas (barir pujo) – one more than 300 years old at Pucca Bari in Bikhna Pahari and the other at Devendra Kuthi.But this year, it was Patna Kalibari's celebration that stood out, as it marked its golden jubilee – 50 years of devotion – with not just traditional rituals, but a showcase of Bengali culture through a host of events.Ashok Chakraborty, general secretary of Kalibari, said the festivities began on Panchami (the fifth day of Navaratra), with dancer Sudipa Ghosh and her troupe performing the dance drama Mahishasurmardini on Thursday.The cultural celebrations will continue through Dashami and Ekadashi (the 11th day after the new moon). On Monday (Dashami), after the immersion of the idol and the distribution of shantijal (holy water), a musical night has been planned featuring performances by students of the Kalibari's dance institute, followed by a Bengali orchestra led by Saroj Das and his group. On Tuesday, Kolkata-based singer Subhajit Dasgupta and his team will take the stage.The Kalibari premises, too, reflected the occasion's significance, adorned in golden and yellow hues to mark five decades of Basanti Puja. "This year, we invited four dhakis from Birbhum in West Bengal instead of the usual two," Chakraborty added.Sharing the origins of the celebration, Chakraborty added, "One of the early members of Kalibari, Shantiranjan Banerjee, suggested starting the Puja in 1976, and it has only grown since." The budget, once a modest Rs 50,000, has now risen to Rs 8 lakh – along with the scale of preparations."Take, for instance, the rice required for bhog. From just 50kg a day five decades ago, we now cook khichdi or pulao using at least four quintals of rice daily – a clear sign that the puja is becoming more popular, if not as famous as the Sharadiya Navratri," he said.For many devotees, Basanti Puja is a quiet yet essential spiritual affair. "Though this is not a holiday season, schools are mostly closed on Ram Navami, which is when we target to visit the pandal," said Shikha Sanyal, who had come from Jakkhanpur. "I make sure to visit at least once," she added.As for the rituals, they mirror those of the Sharadiya Durgotsav – starting with Bodhon (invocation of the goddess) on Shasthi, followed by Navapatrika Snan to mark the start of Saptami. The core practices – Pushpanjali, aarti and bhog (edible offerings) – are observed across Saptami, Ashtami and Navami. The only variation lies in the bhog menu. On Saptami and Ashtami, devotees receive khichdi along with two side dishes, chutney and payesh (milk pudding). On Navami, the spread becomes more elaborate, featuring pulao, cholar dal, matar paneer, enchor er dalna (raw jackfruit curry), chutney and payesh. Also, the Goddess is offered seven, eight and nine types of fried vegetables on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami, respectively.Among the most revered rituals is Sandhi Puja, performed during the brief transition between Ashtami and Navami. It is then that 108 lotuses and 108 lamps are offered to the Devi, ideally lit by married women.On Dashami, the farewell begins with Devi Boron (the formal goodbye), followed by the vibrant Sindur Khela, where married women smear one another with vermillion, celebrating the Devi's strength and grace.