Traditional Durga Puja in Calcutta, Traditional Durga Puja, Durga Puja

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Defining Puja

Traditional Durga Pujas in Calcutta
The origin of celebration of Traditional Durga Pujas in Calcutta dates back to the days of the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. Worship of the Goddess Durga had taken a social turn since the bygone days. The large scale celebrations, the grandeur, and the fan-fare were a part of the Puja even when Raja Kangshanarayan of Taherpur or Bhabananda Mazumdar of Nadiya organized the first Sharadiya Durgotsab in the year 1606.

Soon Durga Puja became the great annual festival bringing family, friends and neighbours together. It became a religious extravaganza among the Babu's of Bengal. Though it had become the yardstick simply to measure the supremacy of one over the other, there were traditional household Durga Pujas too, which gained prominence because of their deep devotional fervor.
Attractions of the festival
Cultural shows like "Jatra", Puppet Dance, "Kobi Gaan", "Kirtan", Magic Shows were put up to enhance the attraction of the festival. Some of the traditional household Durga Puja even dates back to 200-250 years. Samir Dasgupta's household Durga Puja commenced in 1839, in Batajor village in Barishal in Bangaldesh. The tradition still continues now in Srimani Para Lane residence in Baranagar. Sacchidananda Chatterjee continues with his 200 yr. old household Durga Puja at his residence in Brahma Samaj Road. The 250 yrs. old Durga Puja in Dhar family residence in Bikrampur of undivided Bengal still continues in Ashoknagar. The Ghosh family's household Durga Puja started in Bikrampur's Hasara village in Bangladesh in 1775 A.D. and continues till date in their Bagbazar residence.
Well known Traditional household Durga Pujas in Calcutta
Some of the significant Traditional Durga Pujas were Saborno Raychowdhury's family Durga Puja at Barisha, Gobinda Ram Mitra's of Kumartuli, Krishnadeb of Sobhabazar, Mitra Family of Chorbagan, Srimani family of Sukia street, traditional Durga Puja at Rani Rashmoni's residence and Kaliprasanna Singha's household Durga Puja.

Saborno Raychowdhury
When Calcutta was passed over to the East India Company, Roop Chand Mazumdar, Manohar Mazumdar and Charles Iyer (son-in-law of Job Charnock) exchanged legal documents with their signatures for an amount of Rs.1300 under the eight pillared open courtyard at the residence of Saborno Chowdhury's family. The Ray Mazumdars or the Saborno Chowdhurys were well known zamindars yielding
great power. They hailed from Hali of Naihati and later migrated to Barisha in Calcutta. The family celebrated Durgapuja since 1610 when the benevolent zamindar Lakshmikanta Ray Mazumdar started it.'Barisha Saborno Ray Chowdhury Durgotsav' conducts seven durga pujas in the family, six at Barisha and another at their Birati Bari. The flavour of a zamindar household puja can be felt even today if one wishes to visit the Chowdhurys of the Saborno family during the Durga puja.
Steeped in traditional rituals the zamindars of yester years perform puja with great devotional fervour. The wooden framework that has given shape to beautiful Goddess for many years still exists and so do the three 'Chalchitras' or the intricately designed ornamental backgrounds. The family performs *Kumari Puja* which is an important part of the four day long clebrations. Animal sacrifices are still prevalent and *Sandhi puja* is performed ardently.
Sobha Bazar Rajbari Durga Puja
	Sobha Bazar Rajbari belonged to Raja Nabakrishna Deb who was a famous exponent of Hinduism during the Brahmo Samaj Movement by Raja Rammohon Roy. It was in the year 1757 after the Battle of Plassy, Durga Puja was initiated in the household.
One of the famous traditional Durga Puja's in Calcutta, the Rajbari Durga idol is a beautiful Goddess framed in 'Ek Chala'. Decorated with silver foils imported from Germany during the affluent times, the family still retains its décor. Among its rituals the Rajbari performs the traditional 'Belbaran' (Amantran Adhibash) on Sasthi, welcoming the Goddess to descend on the earth and relieve the people from their miseries.
Known for their kingly ardor, the Rajbari fired canons, now replaced with guns on Nabami at *'Sandhikhan'* when the Goddess in her Chamunda form beheads Mahisasur. 'Kanakanjali' was a ritual performed when married women were given cold coins dating to Akbar's reign. Immersion of the Goddess is another grand affair when family members enthusiastically participate. Women in traditional red bordered white saris and men in white dhotis carrying golden umbrellas is a spectacle not to be missed. 60 men carry the Goddess on their shoulders and are accompanied with a musical band. Previously the band was hired from Scotch Highlander (Gorar Baddi). 'Nilkantha' ritual is performed. Two birds are released after the immersion that carry the message to Kailash about the safe departure of the Goddess. The second bird sets off later with the same message incase the first fails to deliver.

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