There are very few things under the sun that two Bengalis will agree on without a debate but one thing that runs through every Bengali, be it probashi (diaspora) or a native, is the love for Durga Pujo, the festival that brings with itself shiuli phool er gondho, dhaak er taal and five days with Maa Durga who stays in her baari (house) with her four children, and unites with her husband Shiva on the tenth day, (also known as Vijayadashami).
Durga Pujo mainly begin from the sixth day of Navratri festival and concludes on Dussehra, the tenth day. This year, Sashti (sixth day) falls on October 1.
One has to be living under a rock to not know about the world famous Durga Puja celebrations of West Bengal, especially in Kolkata, where massive pandals are decked in themes to celebrate Maa Durga’s homecoming. However, miles away, Bengalis out of Bengal also, nestled in their Bangali paras, also keep the pujo fervor alive with all that they have.
For the Bengalis, and non-Bengalis, of Delhi and NCR, Chittaranjan Park or CR Park is one of the main hubs to see the Durga Pujo celebrations. Home to a large Bengali community, CR Park area sees a mega Durga Pujo celebration each time with magnificent pandals. The festivities, that were hampered by Covid for the last 2 years, are back in full swing in the area.
Apart from CR Park, Delhi’s Greater Kailash, Kashmere Gate, Minto Road, Paschim Vihar are also some areas where Durga Puja pandals are put up, while the festival is also celebrated in parts of Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad as well.
Main Pandals to Visit in Delhi-NCR:
CR PARK
CR Park Kali Mandir, Cooperative Durga Puja, Mela Ground, Navapalli, D Block, and B Block are some of the top Durga Puja hosts of the Chittaranjan Park area. These pandals can be explored on foot or one can take an auto ride around as movement of cars is generally affected during the festive days in the area due to the massive footfall that it sees.
>> CR Park Kali Mandir: The Kali Mandir or Kali Bari in CR Park celebrates Durga Puja in the traditional way with the pandal and its decor also done in quintessential traditional manner. The Durga Puja pandal is put up at the main ground in the Kali Bari premises with food and shopping stalls also in the periphery of the marquee.
>> Mela Ground: This Durga Puja pandal takes place at Mela Ground in CR Park and is known for having one of the biggest idols in Delhi. This year, even though the festivities are back in full swing as they were before Covid, the puja committee has decided to go for a shorter idol size of 14 ft as compared to its usual 17-ft idol.
Speaking to News18.com, Deepak Paloi of the Mela Ground Durga Puja Committee said this year the pandal will be based on ‘Raj Bari’ theme and celebrations will be like the pre-Covid times. “We are getting back to new normal with old puja,” Paloi said.
Paloi added that this year the Durga idol will be black in colour, symbolising all the negative energy turning into light. “This year we have gone for a black Durga Maa idol. Her decor will be black. She is observing all the negative things and turning them into light,” Paloi said.
Deepak Paloi also said that the pandal is following all Covid guidelines and protocols and added that masks are needed and social distancing is required”.
>>B Block: If coming to CR Park for pandal-hopping, you cannot give B block a miss either. This Durga Puja takes place at a ground in CR Park’s B Block and is also famous for its theme-based pandal and food stalls. This year, the puja committee has decided to go with ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ theme.
Speaking to News18.com, Sayan Acharya of the Chittaranjan Park Durga Puja Samiti, said, “This is our 47th year of celebrating Durga Puja here. And as you know, due to pandemic we were not able to celebrate Durga Puja properly, we were not able to bring the crowd but we are happy to be bringing the celebrations back”.
“This year our theme is Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav. For that, our pandal is basically following Tri-colour elements. Inside is an Ashoka Chakra on the top of the pandal and is engulfed by the Tri-colour from all sides. We are planning to put two LED screens that will showcase the achievements of India in the last 75 years,” Sayan Acharya said.
“We are more excited about the artisans who have been able to return after two years of lull. We are excited to showcase Maa Durga in front of everyone. It has been a tough two years. All pandals in Delhi will be open till 12 am,” Sayan Acharya said.
>> Co-operative Ground Durga Puja: This Durga Puja pandal at Co-operative Ground in CR Park’s K block is one of the most famous ones in the area and puts up theme-based pandal each year. It also hosts a number a stalls that sell delectable food and other items such as clothes, home decor and much more.
>> Navapalli: Navapalli Durga Puja at Pocket 40 in CR Park is also celebrating the five-day festival with all its grandeur this year.
Durga Puja in Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad
Apart from CR Park, Uttar Pradesh’s Noida and Ghaziabad and Haryana’s Faridabad also host Durga Puja events.
>>Noida Kalibari: Noida Kalibari Durga Puja in Sector 26 is holding its 40th year of celebration this year and, according to an HT report, has planned a pandal that will be a replica of Belur Math temple, located at the banks of the Hooghly river in West Bengal.
>>Noida Sector 25: In Sector 25 of Noida, Jal Vayuvihar Sanskriti Kalyan Samiti is marking 30 years of Durga Puja celebrations and will have a pandal based on the philanthropic work of the Ramakrishna Mission. “Encouraged by the philanthropic work of the Ramakrishna Mission, the committee will try to exhibit one of the 141 Ramakrishna Mission Centres through its Durga Puja pandal this year,” Jaya De, a member of the organising committee, was quoted as saying by HT.
In addition to that, the Durga Puja pandal as well as the main idols will be made of eco-friendly material such as bamboo, cloth, and biodegradable colours, she said.
>>Noida Sector 61: The Balaka Puja committee in Noida Sector 61, which is holding its 14th year of celebrations this year, will be paying tribute to Indian musicians who passed away in the last two years .
The Durga Puja pandal will be based on a gigantic structure called the ‘temple of music’
“A gigantic structure called a temple of music will be set up at the Durga Puja pandal to pay tribute to the luminaries of the cultural and music industry whom we lost to the pandemic over the last two years,” Kalyan Raychaudhuri, secretary, Balaka Puja committee, said.
In UP’s Ghaziabad, Prantik Durga Puja in Indirapuram area’s Vaibhav Khand locality, Shalimar Garden Mahila Sewa Samiti’s puja, Kavi Nagar Durga Puja, Ashok Nagar Kalibari are some of the areas where puja celebrations are held while there are many residential societies in Ghaziabad’s Rajnagar Extension area that have been celebrating the festival since the last few years.
The Shalimar Garden Mahila Sewa Samiti is organising an all-women-led Durga Puja celebration this year in the theme ‘Ananya Nari’.
The event, ‘Ananya Nari’, organised by Shalimar Garden Mahila Sewa Samiti, between October 1 and 5, members of the Samiti said, will be a…
Meanwhile, the Durga Puja of Charmwood Village society in Sector 39 of Haryana’s Faridabad by Eros Garden Durga Puja Samiti is also a must-visit pandal.
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Source: News18