Powai Sharodotsav 2015

"Ya devi sarvabhuteshu shakti - rupena samsthita

Namas tasyai, namas tasyai, namas tasyai namo namah"

The above mantra evokes a strange tingling sensation at the bottom of every Bengali stomach. The reason is Durga Puja. In India and beyond many festivals are celebrated each year, but the kind of craze Sharodutsab witnesses cannot be described in words known to me. This festival is much more than festivities. If you visit West Bengal or more precisely Kolkata during this festival, what you will witness is not just a city drowned in celebrations. You will see an art gallery. Each puja pandal will be colossal, majestic. Somewhere they would have replicated the deserts of Rajasthan and somewhere you will see the white house in front of you. Artists and craftsmen from around the nation come to create such masterpieces which treats your eye candidly and lovingly. Again the idol, oozing beauty, signifying women empowerment and showering love and blessing, such is my triple eyed gracious Ma. Every corner of the city is enlightened with the lights of love and effervescence. Decked up like a new bride, it awaits our visits.

A Durga Puja Pandal of Kolkata

Miles away from hometown, we too do not want to miss out euphoria attached with Sharodutsab. Hence an easy option is to book tickets and fly to Kolkata. Where our family awaits our home coming. However as they say, man proposes God disposes. Durga Ma had other plans for us. From the last three years we have spent the auspicious Durga Puja Days in Mumbai. And to say the least it has been more than fulfilling. The reason may be, distance makes us more aware of our roots and hence we want to embrace our beings more passionately and also the people who share our thoughts. Spandan a socio-cultural group, has been our ground of togetherness, festivity and euphoria for the last three consecutive years during Sharodutsav and more. We call our Puja “Powai Sharodotsab” as the Puja takes place in Powai and most of the members also belong to the same. But again there are people like us, who travel at least 30 minutes each time to join the celebrations. These celebrations breathe enough life to combat the fast and furious life of the city for the rest of the year.

My narrative to follow is about “Powai Sharodotsab 2015”, like every year this year too we had a theme “REDISCOVERING ROOTS”. Innovative isn’t it? Theme pujas are very common in West-Bengal but not so in Mumbai, hence Spandan always stands apart by bringing out a unique theme each year. Our Idol, pandal and everything associated, resonates the theme we pitch.

What are we, if we donot know our roots? What are we, if we donot appreciate it? What are we, if we deny the clay that makes us? What are we, without our roots?

Keeping to our Theme this year, our idol was that traditional Ekchala. The pandal was decorated using Madhubani paintings from Bihar and Patachitra from rural Bengal. Even the inauguration was done by the artists themselves, who had taken out time of their simple village life to grace us in our maddening city. The paintings used were later auctioned and the money given to the talented artists.

A GLIPMSE OF ANANDO MELA:

Ghugni...Yummy!!

The winners

Some delectable Chinese spread

INAUGURATION:

Inauguration Ceremony

The door to the Goddess is finally opened

Ma in all her grandeur

Me ready for the inauguration programme

Pretty ladies of Spandan

Festivities started from Chothurthi, with the Anando Mela or Kitchen Battle. Where home cooked delicacies fight it out to be crowned the best. The inauguration was on Panchami. When our charismatic Ma was unveiled to bestow the world with all the goods. Attired in elaborate golden accessories and that powerful yet subtle look, melts you down as an onlooker. Devotion, love and a complex mixture of both spray like hormones in your inside. A strange feeling of being at home, even if you are away. Panchami night was beautifully decorated with children’s superlative dance performances. It was a treat to see crowd pouring in, right from day one.

Our Natok Group

A moment of rejoice

Shasti was special for me and Avishek. Like every year we had participated in a play, this time it was “Abbulish”. Grossly based on a story line similar to the famous movie “Liar Liar” starring Jim Carrey, it engaged the audience and they laughed their hearts out on every punch line. Despite of our hectic schedules, job life, travel, we had rehearsed and put rigorous efforts to stage a good show. And eventually we did. It was heart-warming to experience the kind of appreciation that followed. And that’s the best part of Spandan, there is humongous encouragement and driving force for you to take a toll on your daily schedule and live your dreams. Good education and achievements can only humble you, and I believe Spandan’s senior members are brand ambassadors of this school of thought.

A fusion of Manipuri and Bharatnatyam

A lovely Dance Performance

Little Fairies

On Saptami there was famous Bengali singer Jojo’s programme, followed by Ash King’s ravishing and engaging programme on Ashami night. On Nabami we rediscovered our roots yet again with singer Swapan Bose’s songs which brings with it the fragrance of wet earth, songs that treat your soul with moments of freedom. However our in-house performances were no less than celebrity acts. Whether we talk of the Agamani songs, or the Manipuri and Bharatnatyam fusion act, the elaborate Kathak extravaganza or the exuberant “Tasher Desh” each performance was a collectively portrayed masterpiece and treat to all our senses. Kudos to each one who brightened our evenings with their elaborate and magnificent talent, especially the little ones.

Ashtamir Anjali

Avishek

With Ash King

Rai and me on stage

Saptami Night

Nabami Night with Avishek

On Dashami with Bidisha and Dolan

We With Mainak and Bidisha

With Prabhjot, Krishna and Bidisha

We with Shalaka and Nilesh

Durga Puja is also about elaborate rituals and offerings and my deepest regards to the people in the Puja Committee who had put huge efforts to let every ritual flow laminar with the tithi. Not to forget the odd timings and the sleepless nights.

After Sindur Khela

The end of a season of festivity is marked with the ritual of Sindur Khela. A beautiful and colourful part wherein all women bid adieu to Ma by putting vermillion onto her and performing the “Boron” rituals. All married woman clad in typical Bengali fabrics and gold ornaments, play with vermillion smearing the air with red colour. It is a beautiful sight to behold and many photographers come to prison a few moments behind the bars of the lenses. Spandan’s Sindur Khela was captured by ABP news and featured live.

Festivities come to an end with immersion. Amidst the rhythm of Dhak, Sankha Dhyani, Ulu Dhyani and immeasurable heaviness, Ma starts her voyage towards Kailash.  And we, her children, start with our regular lives only in the hope of her return next year.

In this journey called life, festivals are a chance to actually live. Otherwise we eat, sleep, work and life moves on in its own sweet pace inadvertently. And so festivities to me is like that oxygen that gets me going. Because it is a hope, a hope for happiness to return, a hope to feel content. I donot not know, if I am over enthusiastic but yet I shamelessly say, I am already waiting for her return next year.

“Asche bochor abar hobe”

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

Pic courtesy: Mukesh Trivedi, Snehajit Roy, Prosun Roy, Arpita Panja, Shubhaasini Ghosh, Sanjiv Bose, Snehasis Batabyal, Mainak Chatterjee and Avishek Sengupta

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