Saraswati Puja celebrations expand into Pune’s housing societies

Pune: As the Bengali associations in the city continue to host grand public pandals in honour of goddess of knowledge Saraswati, a growing trend has seen residential complexes organising their own participatory celebrations, bridging the gap between Bengali and non-Bengali residents.In Wagholi, the Majestique City housing society has emerged as a vibrant hub for the festival. Resident Pompa Sarkar noted that 15 to 16 families have collaborated to organise this year's festivities.
"The puja begins at 10am on Friday, followed by an evening of cultural performances by children and women. We are expecting over 400 participants from the society, including many non-Bengali families," Sarkar said. The celebrations include a drawing competition, live performances, and a unique photography exhibition titled ‘frame a friend.' The society also held a blogging contest focused on local news, with winners set to be felicitated this Friday. This shift towards hyper-local celebrations is reflected in the local economy. Arun Chakraborty, who manages the Bengalis in Pune Facebook page, noted that societies in Undri — such as Godrej Prana and Godrej Greens — have been hosting their own rituals for several years. "These society-level celebrations have led to a surge in demand for compact idols," Chakraborty said. "Idol makers in Khadki report a significant rise in orders for smaller statues as more residents choose to celebrate within their own premises rather than travelling to distant pandals." Despite the rise in society-level events, Pune's established Bengali associations remain the pillars of the city's public celebrations.The Porchiti Association is marking its fifth year of celebrations on Jan 23 at the Jai Tulja Bhavani Mangalkaryalay in Handewadi. Member Nivedita Nandi said that the day would feature hatey khori — a traditional ceremony where young children are initiated into writing."We are expecting over 2,500 people. Along with the rituals, we will serve a traditional community bhog of khichri, labra, and chutney," Nandi said. The event will also host food stalls, shopping corners, and cultural tributes, including themed songs dedicated to Subhas Chandra Bose. On Baner Road, the Agomoni Prabasi Sangha will host a large-scale event at Kundan Garden on Jan 23. Their itinerary includes poetry recitations, a conch-shell blowing competition, a traditional dress fashion show, and open-mic music sessions featuring the guitar and flute. Rajesh Burman, chief secretary, Agomoni Prabasi Sangha, emphasised the spiritual significance of these artistic pursuits. "Music, dance, and poetry are integral to the puja because they reflect the belief that learning and creativity go hand-in-hand," Burman said. "A key tradition is placing books and tools of learning at the goddess's feet and refraining from study for the day — a symbolic gesture of surrendering our knowledge to the divine."