Thakurbari (The Tagore House) in Kolkata, the red building in Jorasanko, the house of Rabindranath Tagore used to perform Durga Puja until they adopted the teachings of Brahma Samaj.
The ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore's family was
originally in the district of Jessore. From there, the Poet Laureate's
ancestor, Panchanan Kushari, first came to Kolkata. He set up his base at the
Ganga ghat (riverside bank) in the Sutanuti area. Since he practiced priesthood
(paurohitya), he became known colloquially as Panchanan Thakur instead of
Kushari. And from then on, his descendants started using Thakur as their
surname.
The two grandsons of this Panchanan Thakur are Nilmoni Tagore and Darpanarayan Tagore. However, a dispute over property reached its peak between these two brothers. As a result, Nilmoni Tagore left with his family and his household deities, Lakshmi and Salagram Shila. He built a house in what was then Mechhuabazar, and is now Jorasanko. Subsequently, when Nilmoni Tagore's descendants converted to the Brahmo faith, the Durga Puja at Jorasanko Thakurbari was discontinued. However, Darpanarayan Tagore's descendants remained and still are Hindu, and consequently, the Durga Puja continued at the Pathuriaghata Thakurbari until the first decade of the twenty-first century. Currently, that Puja has also ceased due to the passage of time.
History Of Durga Puja In The House of Rabindranath Tagore
Durga Puja was celebrated in a grand manner at the Jorasanko Thakur Bari (Thakur family residence). It was said that the magnificence of Rabindranath Tagore's family Durga Puja was so impressive that it would dazzle everyone's eyes. But why was that Puja stopped? What was so special about the Durga Puja at this house?
The spread of Brahmoism was largely due to Debendranath Tagore, the son of Prince Dwarkanath Tagore. Idol worship was abandoned at the Thakur family’s residence too. But before that, Durga Puja was celebrated with much grandeur at Jorasanko Thakur Bari. This tradition of Durga Puja started in 1784.
Idol Of Goddess Durga
It is known that the idols for the puja were made in the Thakur Dalan (Thakur's hall) at Jorasanko. The puja was initiated by Neelmoni Thakur, the grandfather of Prince Dwarkanath Tagore. However, the grandeur and opulence of the puja increased significantly with the involvement of Prince Dwarkanath. The level of magnificence reached such heights that among the famous Durga Pujas held in Kolkata at the time, the Thakur Bari’s Puja stood out and was considered one of the most prominent.
At that time, there was a fierce competition regarding how much money was being spent at different babus' or aristocratic households on Durga Puja. People would also discuss whose prasad (offering) was the most delicious, who adorned the idol with the most jewelry, and similar details. Could Prince Dwarkanath Tagore, one of the most famous and influential men of the time, stay out of this competition? Naturally, he didn't.
Those who have visited Jorasanko Thakur Bari would know that it was located very close to the famous Daa Bari (house of Shibkrishna Dey) in Kolkata. A popular saying circulated about Daa Bari, which claimed that the goddess would come down to earth and wear jewelry there. In other words, during the Puja, the goddess was adorned with abundant jewelry in that aristocratic home. The ornaments of the goddess at Daa Bari were said to be so magnificent that no other family in Kolkata could compete. It is said that to rival them, Prince Dwarkanath brought jewelry from Paris for the goddess. Not only that, but the goddess was also sent for immersion wearing that very jewelry.
There was also competition regarding the size of the idols. It is said that before the puja, a "Shankhchil" (a type of bird) was released from Thakur Bari. The path shown by this bird was believed to be the way the goddess would travel. On the day of Vijaya Dashami, a "Neelkanth" (blue-throated bird) was released. On this day, the women of Thakur Bari were allowed to climb onto the roof of the house, a privilege granted only on this day.
The idols at Thakur Bari were said to be modeled after the face of Princess Digambari Devi, the wife of Prince Dwarkanath Tagore. Additionally, it is known that before embracing Brahmoism, the Thakur family followed Vaishnavism, so they did not offer animal sacrifices. Instead, during the puja, pumpkin sacrifices were made.