Pujo in Hyderabad transports Bengalis back home to Kolkata

When chants of Mahisasura Mardini in Birendra Krishna Bhadra’s booming voice reverberates in the air; when women dressed in festive hues sway to the rhythmic beats of the dhaak; when the heady fragrance of incense and the aromas of khichudi and paayesh made for bhog tantalise your senses, you know that Durgapujo is here! With over 47 Bengali cultural committees in the city celebrating pujo in full gusto, it’s that time of the year when Hyderabad turns into a mini Bengal.The Bengali samitis, both new and old, have just one common goal — to make sure that no Bengali in Hyderabad misses home. And how do they ensure that? By taking great pains and going all out to ensure devotees get a feel of Kolkata right here in the City of Pearls, they say.


Talking about what gives their pujo festivities that Bangla touch, Sumit Sen, general secretary of Hyderabad Bangalee Samity, a 78-year-old Bengali organisation in the city, says, “Our Thakur (idol) is brought all the way from Kumartuli in West Bengal. We do this to ensure that the idol is made of asli polimati (clay), that’s eco-friendly, unlike the PoP ones we get here usually. But more importantly, for us Bengalis, Kumartuli for Durga pujo is like what Dhoolpet is for Hyderabad’s Ganesh puja. The idols there are made by the artisans who’ve been doing this for generations. that’s what adds an emotional, homely-flavour to our celebrations.”

Bangiya Sanskritik Sangha’s pujo celebrations held at Keyes high school, Secunderabad is an affair that every Bengali in Hyderabad looks forward to each year. And without fail, the association makes sure the devotees have an experience that they will cherish all year-long, with their grand celebrations, larger-than-life thakur and a pandal that gets talked about. “Every year we model our Durga puja pandal after one of the famous temples in the country. From the famous Dakshineswar temple in Kolkata to Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand, we have replicated them all. This year, the pandal is a replica of the Ambika Devi temple of Rajasthan. This gives devotees a special experience and the joy of worshipping Maa Durga in a serene setting of a sacred temple-like pandal,” says Subrata Ganguly, the general secretary of the organisation, which is celebrating its 54th Durga puja in the city.

KEEPING AGE-OLD BENGALI TRADITIONS ALIVE
Come Durga pujo and you will get to witness an array of traditional performances, be it chhau or baul, thanks to the vibrant cultural nights organised by the various samitis in the city. “I believe that we Bengalis in Hyderabad are much more culturally rooted. Through the cultural programmes held by our samitis, we are also reviving the lost art forms and traditions of Bengal. In fact, I’d say we do a lot more to keep our celebrations authentic than what many people in Kolkata do these days,” observes Deepak Bhattacharya, president of the Bangiya Sanskritik Sangha in Hyderabad. They take great pride in organising the Jatra, a kind of Bengali folk theatre, every year during the pujo. “But it’s not just about Bengali culture alone. These pujos are an assimilation of many cultures. Even the food counters offer everything from luchi, kochuri, kosha-mangsho and roshogolla to Punjabi, Maharashtrian and South Indian delicacies,” adds Deepak.


What makes the celebrations all the more special is the fact that it’s always a community affair. Anita Dasgupta, the vice president of the Bengali Cultural Association in Masab Tank, says, “We bring the idol to the venue early morning on Panchami and the artisan draws the eyes of Maa Durga at the pandal and gives his finishing touches, before the ladies perform the bodhon (welcome aarti).” Once the pratima is set up, the aartis commence every morning, with the purohit chanting mantras loudly, while the devotees repeat after him. This is followed by the bhog where everyone is welcome to eat. “We feed almost 10,000 people every day, on all four days of the festival. And the grains and pulses for the bhog are donated by devotees; nothing is bought from the market,” says Anita, adding, “It is one of the most fulfilling experiences of Pujo.”