Festivities of my Childhood - Part2:-

Until now I gave a description of how we used to celebrate festivals as a community affair. I shared my memories of Holi during my Childhood (Read here). In continuation I share remembrances of few more festivals.

Durga Puja or Navratri:

We used to celebrate Navratri twice in a year. It was the Navratri after monsoon, in the months of September or October (Sharada Navratri), that used to be the observed with lot of festivities.

This is the time when Devi Durga is worshipped. The Festivities continue for 9 nights (10 Days). On each day a incarnation (form) of Devi Durga is worshipped. People be on fast on all the 9 days, many people keep fast on specific days as well. On 8th day Kanjika Pujan is done. On this day small girls are invited to homes and are worshipped as a form of Devi Durga. People give them food and other items (including money) as Dakshina (gift), symbolizing a Dakshina given to the Goddess. The little girls visit few houses one after the other for the Pujan (worship).

On the 9th day Durga Pujan was done, where Devi Durga is worshipped. This day marks the victory of Good over Evil. It is believed that on this day Devi Durga killed the Daemon Mahishasura after a long fierce battle. We used to visit Durga Mandir near our house to seek blessings from Devi Durga.

Some years later we started visiting the Durga Pandal (a temporary shed used for public gatherings) near Bindal Bridge. This Pandal was organized by the Bengali Community. Few of the organizing committee members were my father's colleagues. They would invite us in the Pandal.

During Navratri various cultural activities were organized in the Pandal. People would visit the Pandal  to enjoy the cultural activities. Big Poojas (prayers and worship) were organized in the Pandals. We would visit the Poojas to seek blessings from Goddess Durga. After the Pooja we would attend the community lunch/dinner. The Community lunch/dinner was treated as the Prasad by us and all other devotees. The atmosphere was so religious and pious. Everybody would be soaked in devotion. We enjoyed the festivities a lot.

Dussehra:-

Dussehra is also a festival to celebrate the victory of Good over Evil. This was the day when Lord Ram Killed Ravana. On this day big effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarana and Meghanada are burnt with crackers.

I remember Ramayana was enacted before Dussehra. Friends and families would gather at the night to see Ramayana being in-acted on stage. Watching the Ramayana was so much fun. Traditionally female characters were also played by men. People who would like the performances of the actors would gift them rewards (mostly in the form of money). Small fares would be organized near the place where Ramayana was enacted. People would enjoy the fares as well.

As kids sometimes we would make effigies of Ravana in the playground in front of our house. We would gather and burn the effigies. We would also visit the I.T.B.P campus where our friends also erected effigies of Ravana. We would all gather together and burn the effigies of Ravana.

Sometimes we visited the Parade Ground, where huge effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarana and Meghanada were erected. These effigies were stuffed with innumerous crackers. Finally these effigies were burnt on Dussehra day. We as kids would enjoy the crackers and the fireworks that erupted when the effigies were burnt.

I remember sometimes small fares were organized in I.T.B.P campus on Dussehra or Diwali. We would visit these fares and enjoy them. Visiting such fares with friends and families was so much fun.

Continue Reading: Festivities of my Childhood - Part3...

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1) Festivities of my Childhood
2) Festivities of my Childhood - Part2
3) Festivities of my Childhood - Part3
4) Festivities of my Childhood - Part4