Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu...

It’s a beautiful Friday.

Yesterday, the little girl was all “decorated” for Navratri celebrations in school. And my mind was decorated with loads of happiness, thoughts & musings.

Why?? Well, it’s that time of the year again – when I head home to join in the frenzy of Durga Pujo.

Some things have changed, some have not… And I see the sprouting of my reflection…

Mahalaya

Today is the day

·         The Mother Goddess is invoked to descend on Earth

·         which was always marked by a holiday in school/college

·         that indicated that the wait for the days of fun & festivity is about to get over

For me, this special day has always been heralded by my favourite baritone introducing us to the Mahisasuramardini legend on AIR at 4 a.m.

The mesmerising chants & the beautiful songs resonate in my sub-conscious throughout the year & reach a crescendo as Pujo draws near.

Even after I left the city, it was a habit to plug in the earphones at 4 am.

My daughter has designated these songs as “granny’s songs” & she often asks me to repeat some for her. I feel a secret thrill each time she hums one of them. And a secret thrill yet again when she suddenly chants “Ya Devi sarvabhuteshu….”.

So did I listen to the iconic programme at 4 am today?? No.. are you kidding me? I need that sleep. And now with the benefit of mp3, can listen to it during the day.

The TV shows depicting the entire good-evil battle have become more technically enhanced & garish – but it’s still nice to watch the compositions.

The pre-Frenzy…

ü  Local newspapers scanned for latest fashion trend

ü  Shops identified for making the desired purchases – clothes, shoes, accessories

ü  Days meticulously designated with family for shopping in specific locality

ü  Some years, a fervent prayer to the rain God to hold the downpour so that “quick” (mmm…. only 11 am to 6 pm) shopping can be completed without getting the new acquisitions drenched

ü  Purchased the latest “Western” wear in addition to the traditional wear

ü  Getting clothes stitched months in advance – enough time for the tailor to deliver after alterations

ü  Stocked up on band aids to deal with foot blisters – but can’t not wear new shoes

ü  Planned out days with friends & cousins – so day “a” with family, day “b” with cousins group A, day “c” with cousins group B, day “d” with school friends, day “e” with college friends… not to forget the morning plans & the evening plans

ü  Planned the outfit for each morning & each evening

ü  Ready for Pujo

How exactly does it pan out now?

Simply head to the inviting stores in the malls (A.C. needed in this heat) or even better, contribute to the burgeoning e-commerce economy in India.

Am more excited about the little one’s new outfits. And how I would, as I earlier said, “decorate” her (thankfully she has the patience for most of my idiosyncrasies).

Pujo

Hysteria would start with the cousins much before the 6^th day – to go “Pandal Hopping”.

For the uninitiated, that’s a super dooper craze here where you shortlist the pandals you want to see with your group, hire a vehicle & disembark on a relentless pursuit of Art – a sort of cross-city race with the crowd to see the best pandals & idols in town. And the creativity is only expanding year on year.

Oh yeah, sometimes instead of hiring a “vahan”, we would decide to test the load capacity of one of our vehicles. So we would all cram into one small vehicle (smaller the better – for ease of parking) & tumble out at each pandal.

The lighter cousins got the advantage of sitting on the well-cushioned laps of the plumper ones (& the disadvantage of getting their heads knocked around as the vehicle manoeuvred the bumps & craters on the roads).

Newspapers listed out (still do) the most innovative & famous Pujos with proper sequential route maps. And even though we would be sapped out of energy (night time + heat + crowd + traffic + distance +….) we would not give up till a tick mark had been placed next to each designated pandal.

And till the birds chirped early in the morning – indicating it’s time for us to catch up on our sleep before we embarked on next night’s battle.

We would be aided by intake of chilled beverages & packets of junk food.

One day would be dedicated for the Northern part of the city, one for the South. And one for the deserving miscellaneous ones. Of course there would be the visit to family pujos (with yummy food on offer - whether veg or non-veg) & ancient rajabari pujos.

Has anything changed?? Yes a LOT !!

The crowds have swelled & going to pandals has become lot more suffocating. With a little one in tow, the all night cross-city spree is not feasible. But did take her out, for a while, in her waking hours last year.

I miss my “mad loveable” cousin who accumulated those special “VIP” passes & tried to use them even where we weren’t acknowledged as VIPs. Hoping she initiates my little one to this madness soon.

I miss the bunch of friends who would mandatorily congregate at my place each year. We would then visit the famous pandal near our house & then go for the mandatory “papdi chaat”. The friends have now spread worldwide; the chaat place has made way for a new age cake shop. But there are a few friends who do come by each year.

So looking forward to meeting all the friends & cousins who can make it to the city this year. Some with their little ones to add to the cheer.

Memories…

Will miss some who were there last year but now will never be with us in person; but will always remain in our hearts & fond memories.

I miss the serene atmosphere that once prevailed in the pandal in front of our house & has now been taken over by loud music (half of which I can’t understand) jarring to the ears.

My little reflection

It’s evening & I am lazing around in the comforting home zone.

The humid heat is somewhat unbearable & I am all set to do… NOTHING. But the folk tunes wafting in from the performances at the nearby Park have got my little one all charged up.

“Quickly get ready, let’s go to the park. They are singing. We must go. Durga Thakur must have come & is waiting for me”, she urges the ever obliging granny & the reluctant me.

Her enthusiasm is infectious. And there I am, accompanying my mom & her granddaughter to the Park.

The first year, daddy had introduced her to the mini moths lining up the pandal wall. She was giggling away seeing them flutter away. I remember her staring with those teeny eyes, perched on her daddy’s shoulders, mesmerised as the priest performed the evening arati.

Last year she indicated she’s prepping up to join the pandal hopping gang - she wanted to see “more Thakur” & refused to sit in the waiting car. And she pointed out that each Durga idol was wearing different coloured saree!!

Safely perched in her mama’s arms, she danced away like crazy to the drum beats during the evening arati. And then she took her performance to the floor.

It’s amazing how each day before today, she reminded me that I need to pack so that we could quickly go to granny’s place because Durga Thakur is coming there… and then she would rattle off names of all the accomplices. And how Ashur Mama (Mama!!.. well… her call) makes “biiiig” eyes at her.

As I soak in her excitement, I remember my childhood & how I would simply wait for this part of the year to come. And yet again feel the thrill at her developing enthusiasm for Pujo.

Am sure the day is near when she would want to taste the unhealthy grub on offer – but that’s what adds to the fun n frenzy.

I see her absorbing everything in wonder – indifferent to the crowd – the huge idols, the lighting, the colours, the sounds, the balloons, the drum beats.

And she enjoys meeting everyone.

This is the beauty of Durga Pujo – it enthralls the kids & grown-ups alike.

P.S. So deeply is this festival embedded in our psyche, it's no surprise that our half-Bengali daughter was given a "daak naam" or "pet name" that is an alternate name of the Goddess; instead of the usual mystifying Bengali endearments :)