City's oldest Puja of Sabarna Roy Chowdhury to enter its 413rd year

kolkata: Durga Puja of Sabarna Roy Chowdhury, the oldest Puja in Kolkata, will enter its 413rd year this time.

The Puja was started by Lakshmikanta Gangopadhyay Majumdar and his wife Bhagawati Devi in 1610.

The Puja was held at Barisha Atchala. It was here where the lease agreement for three villages, namely Sutaluti, Govindapur and Kalikata was signed between Sir Charles Eyre, son-in-law of Job Charnock in 1698 and the descendants of Sabarna Roy Chowdhury. The Puja is still held at the Atchala in Baarisha.

The Puja is conducted following 'Durgabhaktitarangini', written by poet Kakil Vidyapati.

Animal sacrifice has been stopped. On the day of Navami, Kumari Puja is held.

As the Roy Chowdhury family grew, the Puja got spread over eight places, six in Barisha while two others are held at Birati Roy Chowdhury house and Nimta Pathanpur house. At Barisha, the Puja at Boro bari got started in 1717. Puja is held at Mejo bari, Majher bari, Benaki bari and Kalikinkar Bhavan. On the day of Mahasasthi, family magazine Sabarna Barta is released at a function at Kalikinkar Bhavan. Special programmes are held at Boro Bari in Barisha and Birati Roy Chowdhury house on the evening of Navami and Dashami respectively.

Hundreds of people visit six Durga Pujas organised by Sarbarna Roy Chodhury family in Barisha.

Debarshi Roy Chowdhury, curator of Sabarna Sangrahasala, said in the past two years in 2020 and 2021 outsiders had not been allowed due to the pandemic.

However, in 2022, huge crowd is expected. People from outside the state come to visit the historic Puja at the Atchala.