Basanti Durga Pujo in Nagpur set to bring 2,500 Bengalis together

NAGPUR: Coinciding with the ongoing Chaitra Navratri, the four-day religio-cultural Sarbojonin Basanti Durga Pujo at Anant Nagar, behind Police Line Takli, is expected to bring about 2,500 Bengalis together. For the community in Nagpur, this pujo is the Bengali version of Navratri.
The Basanti Durga Pujo will commence on Monday (Shasthadi Kalparambha) and conclude on Friday with idol immersion at Koradi lake on Dashami after Sindoor khela (married women smearing vermilion on each other).

Going by the religious literature and history, this pujo is even older than the more popular Sharadiyo version which takes place later in the year.
As per mythology, it was during Basanti Durga pujo that Mother Goddess had eliminated Mahisasur (demon) during Ashtami and Navami, and not during the Sharadiyo version.
In it’s 14th year, the organizing committee claimed it to be the only pujo of this season in central India, which is Sarbojonin or involving the community. Cultural events by Kolkata and city-based groups would enthral the community during the pujo period.
Priest Arun Bhattcharya said, “The name Basanti came from Vasant (spring) season in the month of Chaitra while Sharadiyo is from the season Sharat (autumn) in the month of Ashwin.”
“Basanti Durga pujo was started by Raja Sarath before Lord Rama who performed Sharadiyo Durga Pujo ahead of the war against Ravana. Lord Rama’s Durga Pujo was done during a period when gods and goddesses are believed to be in their slumber. Hence, first the goddess is awakened and invited for the pujo in the Sharadiyo version. But, it became more popular and, hence widely followed,” said the priest.
Basanti Pujo organizer Shankar Kundu said the credit for initiating the pujo goes to the late PR Sorkar and his team who considered the duration between Saraswati pujo and Sharadiyo Durga pujo is too long for the community to come together. “It’s a big challenge to organize Basanti Durga pujo in March end or beginning of April. Donation is difficult to collect as it’s financial year end phase,” said Kundu who is also an avid bird photographer.
Kundu stated there are only a few youngsters as volunteers as they have examinations. “Seniors like 84-year-old Ajay Roychowdhury, financial supporter like Abhijit Majumdar and group, retired official of Manganese Ore India limited Deepankar Shome and many such community members are helping us organise this socio-religious and cultural fest,” said Kundu
Kolkata-based sculptor Subhas Pal has sculpted the idol for the Pujo. “Drama and dance groups from Chandannagar in West Bengal, Yuger Jatri and Sangeeta Music college, would perform in the evening while khichudi and labdaa bhog would be distributed in the afternoon,” said Kundu.