The Durga Puja at New Ghusick in Ushagram, Asansol, Bengal is unique as an ant hill or termite mound is worshipped as Goddess Durga not the regular golden-colored Durga with ten arms and her children. The Hazra family of New Ghusick village has maintained this tradition for nearly two hundred years.
Reason Behind Worshipping Ant Hill Instead of Durga Idol
Many years ago, an unexpected incident occurred on a Puja
night. Offerings were laid out in front of the idol when suddenly the flame of
the lamp caught the idol's hair on fire. Since the hair was burnt, the idol was
no longer considered fit for worship. Following this, the Hazra family stopped
making and worshipping idols. They began performing 'Ghot Puja' (worshipping a
consecrated water pot).
After a generation after this incident, One day, the family
members noticed a termite mound had suddenly formed on the platform of the
Durga temple. It kept growing day by day. To get rid of the insect infestation,
the eldest member of the family thought of destroying the mound. It is said
that the same night, Goddess Durga appeared to him in a dream and instructed
him to worship the termite mound as the Mother Goddess. The family was
astonished when he saw that, next to the main mound, several other smaller
mounds had formed, taking the shape of the faces of Ganesha, Lakshmi,
Saraswati, and Kartik. Without delay, the family began the worship of the
Goddess by draping the termite mound with cloth.
The Rituals
The rituals of the Puja are still performed following the
unique tradition set by ancestors. The Puja is conducted by placing a ghot (pot)
in front of the mound. On Saptami (the seventh day), the Nabapatrika (nine
leaves symbolizing the Goddess) is brought in, mounted on a boat-like palanquin
made of bamboo and cloth. A goat is sacrificed on Maha Ashtami (the eighth
day). The Puja concludes on Dashami (the tenth day) with the immersion of the ghot.
