BENGALURU: Friday marked the beginning of Durga Puja in the city. And Bengaluru has been taken over by cultural fervour, with various celebrations kicking-off on a grand scale. This festival, which marks the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura, heralds a time of devotion, festivity, and unity. Bengaluru, with its cosmopolitan populace, is witnessing innovative celebrations - while rooted in age-old traditions.
Bongodhara, Bhartiya City
Organised annually by the Bongodhara Cultural Association, and held in Thanisandra, North Bengaluru, this annual celebration features distinct themes each year. This year’s theme ‘Alponik Kalpana’ pays tribute to the traditional attire that women wear during the celebrations - the white saree with a red border, red bindi, complemented with red and white bangles. Not only does the decor of the pandal match the theme, but even the idols of the deities at the festivities are draped in thematic colours. Meanwhile, the celebrations, which last until Oct 24, also feature a variety of dances - Dandiya and Kathakali - and musical performances both from members of the community as well as artistes such as DJ Ansh and Dibyendu Tarafder. “People can come from anywhere and everywhere and take part in the rituals and celebrations. This year, we’re focussing on a confluence of Indian art. But it’s not restricted to one particular tradition or area of India. Possibly for the first time in Bengaluru, people get to see a kathakali artiste perform during Durga Puja. We also have dandiya, which has become a phenomenon across the country. So we have people from different communities coming together for the festivities,” says Aparjita Ray, from the Bongodhara Cultural Association. Earlier this month, the community also organised a soccer league as part of early celebrations, as a tribute to Bengal’s continued love for football. 12 teams from across the city participated in the league, with Varma Football Club eventually coming out on top.
Prestige Shantiniketan Durga Puja, Whitefield
The six-day extravaganza, which started on the fifth day of Navaratri (Oct 20), will last till Oct 24. From the Agomoni, a ritual to invoke the goddess, Dhunuchi Naach, a dance form performed by devotees each evening to sounds of dhak (traditional drum), the event preserves the traditional rituals associated with Durga Puja. “Durgotsav was started by a few families. Over the last 10 years, we have grown manifold into one of the largest Pujos of East Bengaluru. But we still retain the same ideals, one of inclusiveness, and most importantly of this being ‘Amader Pujo’,” says Riddhi Dutta, cultural secretary, Prestige Shantiniketan. In the past, the event has had performances by Usha Uthup, Lucky Ali , and this year features a performance by singer Ananya Chakraborty. The highlight is the Ravan Dahan, symbolising the victory of good over evil.
BARSHA Maha Durga Puja, HSR
The Maha Durga Puja organised by the Bengali Association for the residents of Sarjapur and HSR Layout (BARSHA) stands out for its innovations. The 2023 event features a pandal inspired by Greek architecture, mixed with Bengal’s cultural heritage. The idol of Maa Durga, central to the festivities, draws inspiration from a historic Durga Puja tradition in Kolkata. “It’s inspired by an 88-year-old tradition of Durga Puja in Kolkata. It is going to be nearly 15-feet-tall and adorned with intricate and heavy gold ornamentation,” says Priyanka Sinha Roy, one of the organisers of the festivities. But the main attraction of the festivities is the laser show that blends mythology, science and art, depicting ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3’s journey to the moon and the cosmic dance of Shiva Tandava.
BinB Durgotsav, Bannerghatta Road
Touted as one of the biggest Durga Puja celebrations in the city, with an expected footfall of over 1.5 lakh people across five days, the BinB Durgotsav, is an amalgamation of culture and tradition. “This is our 13th edition and some of the attractions are that we serve bhog, a proper festive lunch, and there’s no ticketing system,” says one of the organisers of BinB. “We also have possibly the largest Dandiya event in Bengaluru.” Adding to the allure are the flea markets and food stalls. Ananya Chakraborty will be performing on Ashtami night (Oct 22) followed by a performance from Kaanya band, the only women rock band in the city.
Harmony Cultural Welfare Association, Jakkur
In order to revive the craft tradition of Shola from West Bengal, Harmony Cultural Welfare Association, has dedicated this year’s Puja theme to this artform. Mayukh Patra, a member of the association, says, “Our theme aims to revive, restore and revitalise the fine craft tradition. The craft is an age-old tradition of Bengal. It is the art of making intricate, decorative objects from the soft core of the Shola stem. Shola has been in use in Bengal since time immemorial. Traditionally, owing to its origin and colour, the substance is considered auspicious, and hence, used during religious functions. The decor of our Durga will be a white attire and ornaments made of Shola.” Craftmen from Murshidabad have come to the city for the preparation of this craft.
(With inputs from Monika Monalisa)