Tradition reigns supreme

Children dart around the Thakur dalan, an architectural marvel adorned in vibrant shades of red, white, and green. Men and women, young and old alike, are busy in rituals, often breaking into spontaneous laughter. While the rest of the city buzzes with new pandal themes, the Bonedi Barir Puja or heritage home Durga Puja in Bengal remains rooted in tradition. At the Narasingha Daw Barir Durga Puja, popularly known as Daw Bari (Bandookwala), century-old traditions continue, untouched by time.

This year marks the 165th Durga Puja at the Daw Bari, started by Narasingha Chandra Daw in 1859. The Daw family, known for their gun-making and trading, continues to uphold this age-old tradition. Despite the RG Kar Hospital incident, the Puja will go on as planned. The family, like many others, seeks justice for the young doctor but remains committed to welcoming devotees who travel from afar for the Goddess’ blessings during these days. “Our Puja has always been about following rituals and traditions, and with Astami and Nabami falling on the same day this year, there will be additional responsibility and pressure,” said Sulagna Daw. Around 100-150 family members will gather from across the globe to celebrate at the Thakur dalan.

As much as you enjoy hopping the thematic pandals in Kolkata, for many devotees Durga Puja remains incomplete without visiting these century-old Bonedi Baris. Celebrated since 1610 at their ancestral home in Barisha, the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family Durga Puja turns 415 years in 2024. As one of the oldest family Durga Pujas in Bengal, the family performs eight Pujas namely Atchala Bari, Boro Bari, Mejo Bari, Majher Bari, Benaki Bari, Kalikinkar Bhaban, Birati Bari and Nimta Pathanpur Bari. Kumari Puja is also performed at Boro Bari and Birati Bari.

“This is more than a festival. It’s a tradition. Puja also signifies the triumph of good over evil. Relatives from around the globe come for the barir Puja during this time of year. For 415 years, we have upheld our traditions and rituals, and we will continue to do so,” said Devarshi Roy Choudhury, a member of the 35th generation and the secretary and spokesperson of the Sabarna Roy Choudhury Paribar Parishad.

At the 160-year-old Hathibagan Kundu Bari, the Durga Puja turns 16 this year since its revival. Environmental conservationists Joydip and Suchandra Kundu want to keep the celebration more intimate than usual due to the RG Kar Hospital case. “We will uphold our traditions and have our relatives and friends join us. However, we’re not in a celebratory mood this year, so we’ll scale back the festival’s grandeur,” said Joydip.

The Durga idol at Kundu Bari is unique because she rides a tiger instead of a lion. “Our Durga represents the blend of nature and festivals, so Mahishasuramardini is shown riding a tiger,” said Joydip. They focus on eco-friendliness, using colours made from straw clay and organic powders, and decorations made from biodegradable shola. Last year, they used solar lighting for the Puja, and they plan to do the same this year.

So much interest surrounds Bonedi Barir Puja that tour agencies even organise trips to Kolkata’s aristocratic homes and nearby districts during Durga Puja. This year, the state tourism department, in collaboration with the I & CA department, is offering guided tour packages to explore various Durga Puja traditions. On October 10 and 11, tourists can book the Sharadotsav package to experience the Puja traditions of Kolkata’s Bonedi Baris from 8 am to 12.30 pm.

To the Deb Biswas family at Dasghara in Hooghly, Durga Puja is more than meeting relatives and friends. It is an opportunity to welcome devotees who come from near and far to pay their respects to Goddess Durga at this historic home. Tilak Kumar Biswas, a member of the 39th generation of this aristocratic family, returns from the UK every year, joined by relatives from the US, Amsterdam, Singapore, and other parts of India. Nearly 300 family members come together at the Thakur dalan to worship Goddess Durga. The Durga Puja of the Deb Biswas dates back to the 12th century when Orissa regent Sadananda Deb Biswas relocated to South of West Bengal. In the 18th century, the Puja took its present form with the construction of the Durga Dalan, and the worship of the actual deity began around 1750-1752.

At the Deb Biswas family, Puja begins on Pratipad, the day after Mahalaya. The Puja is an extension of the original Ghot Puja and therefore, the daily Chandipath continues. There’s also a legend tied to the Puja, said Kumar Biswas. It’s said that Gopinath once appeared in the dream of the then head of the family and expressed distress over the noise and animal sacrifices. Since then, each morning, Gopinath is put to sleep before the rituals and animal sacrifice begin. In the evening, he is awakened, followed by his arati and the other Puja rituals.

At Dasghara, the Durga idol is unique with only four arms instead of the usual ten, and Lord Ganesh does not carry any weapons. “Before the immersion, we send the crown (mukut) of the Durga idol to Tirol, a nearby village known for its Kali Puja. They use the same mukut for their celebration,” said Kumar Biswas.

At the 400-year-old Palbari in Hooghly, there are no idol worship rituals. Instead, the goddess is worshipped through pata chitra. The Puja is entirely managed by the men of the house. The immersion ritual is also special. Since there are no idols, the scroll paintings used for worship are stored away for the next year after the Puja.

Kolkata hosts around 3,000 Pujas, with the large, famous community celebrations often taking centre stage. However, the Bengali Bonedi Barir Pujas, with their centuries-old traditions, continue to stand out. Here, it’s not about the size or grandeur but the deep-rooted customs that have been preserved over time that make it distinctive and represent an important chapter in Bengal’s rich cultural heritage.

Family matters

At Mallick Bari in Bhowanipore, which celebrates its 100th Durga Puja this year, the family had planned a grand celebration. However, due to the recent RG Kar incident, they have decided to forgo the usual festivities and will not allow any visitors for darshan of the Goddess. Traditionally, visitors to Mallick Bari could not only pay their respects to the Goddess but also meet Bengali actors Ranjit Mallick and Koel Mallick at their Thakur dalan. “The joy of this year’s Puja is overshadowed compared to previous years. Although the Puja will take place, we are deeply saddened due to the recent incident. Also, with the 100th anniversary of our family’s Puja, many relatives will be visiting. So, we cannot keep the doors open to the public,” said Ranjit Mallick.

Similarly, the RG Kar incident has subdued the celebratory spirit across other aristocratic homes. For instance, Shobhabazar Rajbari (Chhoto Torof), which is 235 years old, will conduct the immersion of the Goddess with only the beats of dhak, instead of a grand procession.

At the 218-year-old Darjipara Mitra Bari, the Puja usually includes small cultural events with family members at their Thakur dalan. This year, however, they will maintain their traditional practices without additional celebrations. They will continue with their unique rituals, such as using 108 Aparajita flowers for Sandhi Puja instead of the usual 108 lotuses, and having male family members wear dhoti and carry the Goddess on their shoulders during immersion. Although the practice of releasing a Nilkanth (Indian Roller) bird during immersion has faded, the Puja remains deeply rooted in tradition.