Thiruvananthapuram’s Navaratri celebration is famed for its regal rituals and the rich spread of art and culture. Alongside, in a quiet corner of the city, it takes on another beautiful avtar.
Just off the lane adjacent to the AKG Centre lies the Hasan Marakkar Hall, where every year during Navaratri, the Durga Pujo comes alive — recreating a slice of Bengal in the Kerala capital.
And this year’s celebrations mark a milestone for the city’s Bengali community: it is the 55th edition of Durga Pujo here.
Renowned Hindustani vocalist Abradita Banerjee reminisces how the festival evolved. “In the 1990s, the number of Bengalis were fewer than now, and the Pujo was usually in someone’s house,” she recalls.
“It helped the community members share a beautiful camaraderie, which prompted us to prioritise the Thiruvananthapuram Pujo over the ones back in our native places. It also helped our kids bond. In due course, the Pujo was shifted to the Hasan Marikar Hall premises. Now, it is held on the terrace portion of the hall, with related events staged downstairs.”
Preparations for the festival begin weeks in advance, with families planning the decorations, dances and dramas. The paramount part, however, is the making of the Goddess’s idol. Back in West Bengal, it is indeed a ritual in itself.
In Thiruvananthapuram, too, the making of the idol is no less significant. “In the earlier days of our association, the members themselves would make the idols, procuring soil locally. Now we get an artisan from Kolkata every year so that the idol can be made the traditional way,” says Amitabha Mondal, president of Trivandrum Bengali Association.
“Now, the number of members has swelled, and so has the Pujo. In Kolkata, there are several artisans who move from one place to another making idols for Bengali communities during this season. For example, artisan Tapan Jana, who made the idol here, also covers Kochi and Kozhikode.”
For the community, Durga Pujo is a time of camaraderie, of returning to roots, and of keeping culture alive. For youngsters like Aryaman Banerjee who grew up in the city, the festival is steeped in childhood nostalgia.
“To me, the Thiruvananthapuram Pujo is an emotional one. After studies, I went to Bhubaneswar for work. But I made it a point to attend the Pujo here,” says the engineer, who now works in Odisha.
“I will be shifting base back to the city soon — this is home. Even the Kolkata Pujo doesn’t match up to the Thiruvananthapuram one for those who grew up here.”
What Aryaman remembers most is the ‘Anando Mela’ (food festival) during the Pujo, when he and his friends would first scout the stalls to decide which to “attack” first.
“The food would be prepared by the families. Some would have excellent chicken rolls, aloo puri, dahi vada, etc. Next would be the Mukto Mela, where everyone showcased their talents. We had a music band. There was also a Bengali recitation competition, probably to keep our ties with Bengali literature alive,” he gushes.
This year, too, the festivities will continue in the same spirit. Adding a special touch, however, is a programme commemorating the birth centenary of Salil Chowdhury, the legendary musician adored in Kerala as much as in Bengal. “All are welcome,” says Amitabha.
Evoking Durga
Tapan Jana, from Midnapore district, travels across south India in the weeks leading up to Navaratri, making Durga idols for Bengali associations in various districts. Traditionally, the soil used for the idol is procured from the banks of the river Hooghly (called Ganga Maati), mixed with mud from different spots to represent inclusiveness in divinity.
“But when we make idols outside Bengal, we cannot follow that ritual strictly always, because each average-size idol would require around five sacks of mud and transporting that from Bengal would hike the cost,” explains Tapan, who makes seven idols in Kerala during the season before proceeding to Punjab to prepare the idol for Kali Pujo, which falls on the day before Deepawali.
“I use small portions of Ganga maati, which I mix with locally procured clay and some plaster of Paris to smear on the hay skeleton of the idol to shape it up.”
The Durga idol is usually readied on Mahalaya, the day before Navaratri begins, with the final ritual being the Chokku Daan — the drawing of the eyes. This symbolises the awakening of the divine spirit, and evokes the arrival of the Goddess.
“I have never been in Kolkata during Durga Pujo all these years,” has been making idols for the Trivandrum Bengali Association for 22 years.
“Every year, my travels for making idols start in July and end somewhere near the end of October. But I am always at one Pujo pandal or another on the festival days.”