Festival Season in West Bengal
With the arrival of September the season of festivals starts in West Bengal and many other parts of India. Biswakarma Puja, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Dashera, Kali Puja, Dipawali, Bhai Tika, Chhat Puja and many others are celebrated at very few days interval. It is a time of extraordinary religious fervour and devotion, fun and frolic, extravagance and indulgence.
Community worships are a special phenomenon during this season. Millions of rupees are spent on more than lifesize idols, beautifully built "pandals" (makeshift temples to place the idols), electrical decorations and everything that goes with a community worship of a deity.
Where does the money come from?
The money is collected as puja contribution ('chanda' in the local language) from the households in the neighbourhood, shopkeepers, businessmen, factory owners, trucks and buses passing through the area. Much before the puja season sets in young men go around with collection receipt books, knocking at the doors of local households, visiting shops and factories, stopping vehicles passing through the locality. How much money is one supposed to pay as puja contribution? Most of the time it is left to the generosity of the contributor but quite a few times it is not so. The hapless contributor is supposed to cough up as much money as written on the receipt by the collector. Soon, the puja organising committees get enough money to start the balls rolling.
How is the money spent?
Now, it is the time to open the treasury. The idols are to be bought. Pandals have to be built. Decorators have to be hired. Brahmins(Priests) have to be assigned with the secred duties of offering puja. Drum beaters have to be hired. Some part of the collection will have to be spent on helping the poor with blankets. Poor students may be given copybooks and pens or pencils. All this is done with a bit of ceremony and exhibition. A common feeding of all who contributed to the treasury has to be organised. Usually, a special dish called "Khichadi" (a mixture of rice, lintel,and vegetables) is served. And, a picnic or a dinner party may be thrown for those who are actively involved in conducting the whole affair. If the fund allows, may be a free entertainment program for all. Some famous singer may be invited to sing from the stage set up for this purpose. A popular actor may be invited to beautify the occasion. He or she would do it for a thick envelope stacked with currency notes. Everyone is happy to hear the singer or see the actor. If they could shake the celebrity's hand, they got more than their money's worth.
At the end of the puja the idols are immersed in a river or a lake with a lot of noisy sound of music , bursting of crackers and free style dancing.
After the puja the streets wear a forlorn look. The skeletons of the pandals are left standing for a few days more, mourning the departure of the deity. The drums have become silent. People are seen sitting at tea shops or at local clubs talking about the puja days. Everyone looks a bit sad. Everyone finds a huge hole in their pockets.
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