CHENNAI: Members of the Dakshini Society in Anna Nagar started preparations for Durga Puja three months ago, planning the five-day cultural rendezvous that kickstarted on Tuesday with a puja performed for the goddess. For the over-100-member association, which has been celebrating the festival since 1995, it is a tradition to get both Bengali and non-Bengalis together for programmes ranging from dance, drama to drawing and quiz competitions, says Vikram Pal Chaudhuri from the Association.
Meanwhile, the Bengali Association, T Nagar, conducted pushpanjali for Durga matha, followed by the distribution of prasad on all the days till October 3. Anjaan Chakravarthy, president of the Association, said that the three important days of the festival are Saptami, Ashtami and Navami,which fall on the days October 1 to 3. While the first day is marked by Anand Mela, which includes welcoming the goddess in a grand manner, on the last day, ladies apply vermillion on the idols as part of Sindhur Utsav, which denotes that matha is going back to her husband’s place, all happy, explained Chakravarthy.
Vikram said that more than the puja, the events marked a fun-filled fest, where members can showcase their talents through activities like Alpana, a rangoli competition, children’s and adult’s drama, and a dance tribute to doyens from Bengal like Rabindranath Tagore. The Association has gone on to invite artistes from Kolkata to engage the audience in the evening.