Kochi has long been a melting pot of communities from across India. The city still carries traces of the diverse cultures that touched its shores during its layered past, giving it its distinct cosmopolitan nature.
A prominent one among those is the Bengali community, which has made the city its home, preserving its cultural identity while blending seamlessly with Kerala’s ethos.
Many of the first-gen Bengalis in Kochi arrived in the 1960s to work in industries that were then the backbone of the city’s economy: construction, refinery and the Cochin Shipyard.
They brought with them not just professional skills but also a cultural heritage rooted in art, music and literature. As their numbers grew, so did their determination to hold on to their traditions. And so, the Kerala Banga Samskruti Sangha was born in the late 1960s.
“Those days, communicating with other communities was a challenge. There was a language barrier, unlike today, when it is so much easier to understand each other thanks to the advancement of technology and wider inter-cultural exposure,” says Rahul Bhattacharjee, treasurer of the Sangha, which is now set to host its annual Durga Puja celebrations (held during Navaratri).
One factor that made Kerala feel familiar was the shared love for fish. But there was a catch. The Bengali favourite — Rohu, a freshwater fish commonly found in the Ganga and Brahmaputra — was hard to find in Kochi.
“Telephones were a luxury, yet the ‘distress call’ for the fish was sent across the community through word of mouth,” laughs Amit Kumar Sarkar, owner of Bikash Babu Sweets and president of the Sangha.
“Whenever someone found Rohu in the market, the news would somehow spread in a jiffy. Whoever spotted the fish would just buy in bulk, as it would take no time to distribute the fish to the other Bengali families.”
It was not just about fish. These families also bonded through cultural traditions like Satyanarayana Puja conducted in homes. “People would meet in one house for a puja and leave only after deciding the date and venue of the next,” says Amit.
This coming together — be it over Rohu or rituals — laid the foundation of the Kerala Banga Samskruti Sangha in 1967, formally registered as an association in 1971.
What began as a cultural forum for a few families has since evolved into a vibrant organisation that welcomes not only Bengalis but also those with an affinity for West Bengal, or a taste for cultural exploration.
“We are a mix of Bengalis, non-Bengalis who married into Bengali families and also people like me who are neither but have a deep sense of connection to the culture,” says Lakshmi Kishore, a Palakkad Tamil Brahmin who spent her life in Kolkata before settling in Kochi.
Lakshmi, who speaks fluent Bengali, adds that there are several like her who are part of the Sangha despite having no familial roots in the northeastern state. The Bengali way of celebrating life — through community and joy — is what binds them together.
At the centre of it all is Durga Puja, organised every year since the association’s inception. For five days, a corner of Kochi turns into a ‘little Kolkata’.
“Bengalis have a knack for ‘sniffing out’ other Bengalis wherever they go. Others join because they see how intimate the puja is in Kochi,” says Lakshmi.
Mornings begin with rituals, while evenings after the ‘aarti’ are reserved for cultural programmes featuring dance dramas, Rabindra Sangeet and plays recounting Mahalaya — the Goddess’s descent to her parental home.
“Everyone participates. Children, women and even reluctant husbands are coaxed into dancing,” laughs Neelima Sarkar, a member of the Sangha’s cultural committee.
Neelima, who has Telugu roots, connects to the Bengali community through her marriage to Amit. “Durga Puja is primarily for prayers, of course. But it also means fun and food!” she chuckles.
Lakshmi adds, “It is the one time of the year when we eat all the sweets without guilt, just like how payasam is unavoidable during Onam time.”
This year’s Durga Puja pandal at Lions Club in Gandhinagar will feature food stalls serving Bengali delicacies and sweets such as roshogolla, rajbhog, shondesh, malpua, rasmalai, payesh and pantua.
Women entrepreneurs from the community will also showcase products ranging from snacks to jewellery and clothes. All these are open to the public, the members say.
The devotion to the festival runs deep. During the pandemic in 2020, the association adapted with virtual celebrations and ensured members still received ‘bhog’ — the food offering made to the deity.
“A small group of volunteers cooked, packed and delivered the bhog across Kochi. That is how attached we are to the Durga Puja,” says Neelima.
At the centre of the puja is, of course, the idol. Each year, artisans from West Bengal travel to Kochi, bringing clay from the Hooghly’s banks to be mixed with Kerala’s soil — merging two geographies into one sacred creation.
Artisans like Tapan Jena, Jyotirmoy Jena and Suchitra, from a family of idol makers in Digah, West Bengal, have been doing this for the past 15 years, travelling across India ahead of Navaratri to create customised idols.
“The idols are made from a mix of clay, soil and plaster of Paris. But the face of the Devi is purely made using the clay from the banks of the Hooghly; we don’t mix it with any other material,” says Tapan.
The finished idols are carried to the venue in a procession, accompanied by the resonant beats of the dhak, played by dhakis — traditional drummers from Bengal. Priests from West Bengal conduct the rituals, adding to the authenticity of the celebration.
“Unlike Kolkata’s commercialised celebrations, which are handled by event planning companies, here the members take charge. We take care of everything ourselves,” says Rahul, the treasurer.
Beyond Durga Pooja, the association also marks other festivals such as the Bengali New Year, Saraswati Puja, Satyanarayana Puja and Onam, creating a year-round calendar of celebrations.
Currently, all energies are channelled toward the Durga Puja — from September 28 to October 2. The excitement within the community is palpable. For the Sangha, it is a moment to celebrate culture while passing cherished traditions to the next generation.
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