BARIPADA: Durga Puja in Tentuldinga village holds a special place in the cultural map of Baripada. The puja which was started 39 years back by a Muslim - Kohinoor Islam - is today a reassuring display of communal harmony between the Hindu and Muslim communities of the area.
Kohinoor, 76 years old now, decided to start the village’s very own Durga Puja in 1986 after seeing many women of the area walking to Baripada town to witness the puja and take part in rituals like ‘Sindoor Khela’, ‘Sandhi Puja’, etc. “I asked our villagers about the idea of holding our own Sarbajanina Durga Puja. Because, women of the village and nearby areas used to walk to Baripada town early in the morning and return late in the night,” said Kohinoor, a resident of Tentuldinga.
Villagers were happy with the idea and 24 of them came forward to support it. A Durga Puja committee was formed with Kohinoor as its head and they, along with other villagers donated for the purpose. The puja which started with 25 members including Kohinoor, has 550 members of both the communities now.
“It is because of my Allah and Goddess Durga that we have been successfully hosting the puja year after year. It will turn 40 this year,” he said. One of the most remarkable aspects of the celebration of Durga Puja at Tentuldinga is that people from all walks of life, regardless of their faith, contribute financially to ensure the smooth conduct of the puja. Kohinoor’s daughters - Taha Parveen and Joha - also contribute for the cause. Taha works as an executive in a US-based company in Pune, while her younger sister Joha is a postgraduate in Economics.
“The devotion in Kohinoor’s heart towards the Puja is greater than elaborate decorations, lights and pandals,” said Paritosh Nanda, the priest who has been performing the Durga Puja rituals for the committee for the past 25 years.
After the rituals get over, the committee members distribute ‘bhoga’ to people of all communities living in the village. People from nearby villages also throng the puja mandap to take part in the festivities.
“The puja celebrations have been successfully carried out for the last 39 years only because of our elder brother Kohinoor. It is not just a festival of the Hindus, but Muslims too are an important part of the festivity,” said a committee member, Deepak Mishra.