Bengali families brace for grand celebration of ‘Durga pujo’

Visakhapatnam : It’s Navratri time. Even as communities come together to celebrate the festivities in myriad ways, Bengali families, who have been settled in the city for decades, usher in ‘pujo’ vibes with a host of fun-laced activities.

Besides the pandal-hopping, the sound of ‘dhak’ is set to get intense as Bengalis residing in the city brace up to perform ‘Durga pujo’ following rituals and offering assorted ‘bhog’ to Goddess Durga. Even as idol-makers hope for a brisk business this year, Bengali associations gear up to exude festive charm by whipping up a variety of events, engaging the community.

Like every year, the Waltair Kali Bari committee near the railway station is celebrating the festival from ‘panchami’ to ‘dasami’. Here, the events include presentations by Kolkata-based Sangeet Shilpi Group and Zee Bangla Shilpi, in-house programmes, bhajans, drama and band presentation. Secretary of Waltair Kali Bari committee Joydeb Chakraborty and member Aloke Dutta mention that new elements have been added to the festival list and the celebrations are going to witness a huge participation. The Waltair Kali Bari committee has been celebrating ‘Durga pujo’ since 1960.

Making Visakhapatnam their home for quite a long time, Bengali families come up with elaborate plans to celebrate the festival. For them, Durga puja is the most awaited festival. “This is the time we forget all our routine work, take a break to indulge in festival celebrations. They include pandal-hopping, meeting friends and relatives and making merry. In addition to witnessing cultural programmes on the occasion, offering a variety of bhog to Goddess Durga and sharing it with our loved ones form a part of the celebrations,” says Suparna Dutta, a Kuchipudi dancer, who has been celebrating 'Durga pujo' in Visakhapatnam for the past five decades.

Weaving festival flavours, Utsab Cultural Association is hosting events at AMCOSA hall. ‘Agomani gaan’, dance performance and presentation of ‘Bharate chai’ drama, music along with other competitions form a part of the five-day-long celebrations here that commence from October 8 (Panchami).

According to president of Utsab Cultural Association Alok Mazumdar, the festival aims to honour women empowerment and the celebrations mark the triumph of good over evil. ‘Chandi’ homam, ‘Navavarna puja’, cultural programmes, among others, line up at Kali Mata temple as Bhabatarini Charitable Trust is organising events for Dasara.