Century-old Traditional Family Durga Puja That Sticks to All Durga Puja Rituals

The Durga Puja annually hosted by family of one of the authors of Bishuddha Siddanta Panjika is more than 120 years old and sticks to all the traditional rituals associated with the Pujas. The puja was started around 122 years ago and is still continued at Behrampore by Sashadhar Tarkachuramani’ family. The same original wooden murti of Durga is still worshipped here.

From Hindustan Times, Kolkata E-paper
Around 122 years ago, Sashadhar started the puja at home in Faridpur-Pranpur in undivided India for his brother. His descendants carried on with the legacy. The family came to Behrampore in 1942. They brought with them the wooden structure of the idol from Bangladesh. Later it was renovated and remodeled. 

Durga Puja festivities begin with Rath Yatra (June – July). A local artisan after worshipping Ganesha starts making the murti from the day of Rath Yatra. 

The family puja is locally known as ulto pujo as Lakshmi and Ganesh are to the left of Durga and Saraswati and Kartik to her right. This is the opposite of regular arrangement. 

In keeping with the rituals performed by the ancestors, Durga Puja in the family starts on Sashti with adibas and Bodhon. From Saptami to Dasami, the family offers vegetables and fish – hilsa and boal to Durga. 

Long ago animals were sacrificed during sandhi puja. Now gourd and sugarcane are offered instead of animals. There is also a custom of sacrificing a rice-made idol, satru, on Nabami. It symbolizes slaying of the demon. 

Immersion takes place after aparajita puja on Dashamai afternoon. In the evening, the ritual of prasasti bandhan is performed.