durga puja
Sept 27, 2005
Mumbai readies for Dassera
By Mrityunjay Bose
MUMBAI/THANE: More than 100 idols of Goddess Durga are installed in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane district where the Bengali community celebrate the biggest festival of their calendar year. But a little known fact is that the clay with which the idols are built are brought from the shores of the holy Ganges! “This has been our practice for many years, we bring the clay from Kumartully area of Kolkata in West Bengal every year and build the idols here,” said leading artisan Nimai Pal, who every year makes several idols, including the one that is installed at the Shivaji Park area. Pal said that instead of using Plaster-of-Paris, clay is used for making idols. Currently, he said, final touches are being given to the idols that would be installed in Mumbai, its suburbs, and Thane city, Bhayender, Vasai, Nallasopara, Navi Mumbai, Panvel, Kalyan and Ulhasnagar. “We start the work nearly two months in advance and it takes quite a lot of time and precision to make it,” he said. The pooja starts from October 9. “Whereever Bengalees have settled, they have started Durgapooja. The tradition of Durgapooja in Mumbai is more than 100 years old,” said Bengali intellectual Salil Kumar Ghosh, who is also the convenor of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Birth Anniversary Celebrations Committee. “The first one started in Kalbadevi by people originally hailing from West Bengal, who worked as goldsmiths,” said Ghosh, who is a Padmashree recipient. The Bengali population in this metropolis and its suburbs is nearly five to six lakh, according to an estimate. “I survey entire Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai every year. Currently in more than 100 places, Durgapooja is celebrated by Bengalees,” said Ajay Maity, who brings out the annual Mumbai Durgapooja Guide in English and Bengali. “In some of the public poojas, the budget is around a lakh, while in some places it is as high as Rs 30 lakh,” Maity said. In a far-flung suburb like Vasai there are four Durga poojas – Pragati, Pragatisheel, Kaplataru and Bassien Bengal Club. In fact, this year itself, two more poojas are added in Mumbai – the one being Thakur Village Bangiya Parishad at Kandivli. “We have been doing kali-pooja and payala-baishak (new year) celebrations for long, but this time, we are starting durgapooja, considering the fact that the Bengali population has increased manifold in the area,” said Chittaranjan Musib, its President, who is a retired officer of ONGC. The Bengalees in Bollywood too celebrate durgapooja in a big way – in Santacruz, Bandra and Andheri areas, said journalist Prashant Kundu. “Over the years these durgapoojas has become focus of attraction,” he added. One of the famous one is the pooja by a committee, whose president in singer Abhijeet. “Bollywood’s noted set designer is the main person behind our pandal’s decoration,” said Amit Roy, a member of Lokhandwala pooja’s committee. Artists fly here during the four days of celebrations, for performance. Durgapooja is also about food and cultural evening. Though most of them are hit by the Supreme Court deadline on use of loudspeakers, the one that is insulated from it is the one at Tejpal Hall – the only pooja that is held in a hall -- others are in pandal.
Mumbai readies for Dassera
By Mrityunjay Bose
MUMBAI/THANE: More than 100 idols of Goddess Durga are installed in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane district where the Bengali community celebrate the biggest festival of their calendar year. But a little known fact is that the clay with which the idols are built are brought from the shores of the holy Ganges! “This has been our practice for many years, we bring the clay from Kumartully area of Kolkata in West Bengal every year and build the idols here,” said leading artisan Nimai Pal, who every year makes several idols, including the one that is installed at the Shivaji Park area. Pal said that instead of using Plaster-of-Paris, clay is used for making idols. Currently, he said, final touches are being given to the idols that would be installed in Mumbai, its suburbs, and Thane city, Bhayender, Vasai, Nallasopara, Navi Mumbai, Panvel, Kalyan and Ulhasnagar. “We start the work nearly two months in advance and it takes quite a lot of time and precision to make it,” he said. The pooja starts from October 9. “Whereever Bengalees have settled, they have started Durgapooja. The tradition of Durgapooja in Mumbai is more than 100 years old,” said Bengali intellectual Salil Kumar Ghosh, who is also the convenor of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Birth Anniversary Celebrations Committee. “The first one started in Kalbadevi by people originally hailing from West Bengal, who worked as goldsmiths,” said Ghosh, who is a Padmashree recipient. The Bengali population in this metropolis and its suburbs is nearly five to six lakh, according to an estimate. “I survey entire Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai every year. Currently in more than 100 places, Durgapooja is celebrated by Bengalees,” said Ajay Maity, who brings out the annual Mumbai Durgapooja Guide in English and Bengali. “In some of the public poojas, the budget is around a lakh, while in some places it is as high as Rs 30 lakh,” Maity said. In a far-flung suburb like Vasai there are four Durga poojas – Pragati, Pragatisheel, Kaplataru and Bassien Bengal Club. In fact, this year itself, two more poojas are added in Mumbai – the one being Thakur Village Bangiya Parishad at Kandivli. “We have been doing kali-pooja and payala-baishak (new year) celebrations for long, but this time, we are starting durgapooja, considering the fact that the Bengali population has increased manifold in the area,” said Chittaranjan Musib, its President, who is a retired officer of ONGC. The Bengalees in Bollywood too celebrate durgapooja in a big way – in Santacruz, Bandra and Andheri areas, said journalist Prashant Kundu. “Over the years these durgapoojas has become focus of attraction,” he added. One of the famous one is the pooja by a committee, whose president in singer Abhijeet. “Bollywood’s noted set designer is the main person behind our pandal’s decoration,” said Amit Roy, a member of Lokhandwala pooja’s committee. Artists fly here during the four days of celebrations, for performance. Durgapooja is also about food and cultural evening. Though most of them are hit by the Supreme Court deadline on use of loudspeakers, the one that is insulated from it is the one at Tejpal Hall – the only pooja that is held in a hall -- others are in pandal.
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Durga Photo, Durgaji Photo, Durga mata Picture