Abhishek Sarna:
The following article entails my experience and observation from this year’s Pujo celebration in Kolkata.
Kolkata is renowned for its Durga Puja celebrations. The fact that Durga Puja has been recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO is a testament to the cultural extravagance of Pujo. After meticulously planning things for almost three months, I decided to experience a slice of the Pujo celebrations in Kolkata this year. I was quite mesmerised by the plethora of aesthetics and creativity on display. Gigantic theme-based structures, known as pandals, could be found in almost every nook and corner of the city. Each pandal had its own unique theme that was a visual feast to the eyes. The craze for witnessing the prominent pandals, with their grandeur and splendour, was quite inevitable among people, as they would test their patience and wait for almost four to five hours in the queue.
On the other hand, away from the glitz and glamour of these Pandals are the Bonedi Baris. Nestled in the bylanes of the city, these are the homes of erstwhile Zamindar families that had a tinge of cultural legacy and history. Some of these mighty families have been inextricably associated with the genesis of Durga Puja in the 18th Century. Although the Pujo celebrations of the Bonedi Baris are hailed as a cultural icon, what I could perceive was that there was a subtle masking of casteism. For instance, family members of a Pujo tended to rigidly ensure that no outsider entered the kitchen. Beneath the veil of feminism that is closely associated with Durga Puja, there were layers of caste hierarchy and practices that were quite an eye-opener for me.
While there was a melee of frenzy and people were immersed in the festive spirit, what piqued my curious eye was a section of people who could be found outside almost every pandal. They were devoid of any excitement, and a glimmer of hope was conspicuously shimmering in their eyes. These were people who had set up stalls selling food items, snacks, and the famous patua or the Kalighat art. Mostly these stalls had been put up by women, who were being aided by their children in preparing various food items. The children were involved in activities such as making dough for rolls, beating up eggs, and chopping vegetables. Unlike the ubiquitous ecstatic crowds across the city, the idea of Pujo for these people seemed altogether different. For them, Pujo denotes a way of survival and the sheer hope that their day would end with their stuff being sold. Contrary to the emotions of celebration and glee, visible faces donning despair, these were the countless homeless people who were roaming the roads and streets. Their lived reality was starkly different from the people who were engaged in the festivities. Some of them did not even have proper clothes to wear, and a majority of them were in shabby clothes.
I could spot a stark contrast between two classes of the city, one that was immersed in the festivities, oblivious of the manifold travails and hardships faced by others, while the other section was desperate and hopeful for how its day would end. It was quite intriguing to know how a festival, which is hailed as a cultural icon of Bengal, can be entangled in multiple layers of class, caste, and antipathy.
हिंदी अनुवाद:
किसका है ये पूजो, आखिरकार?
इस साल मैंने तय किया कि मैं कोलकाता की दुर्गा पूजा को करीब से देखूंगा। यूनेस्को द्वारा Intangible Cultural Heritage का दर्जा मिलने के बाद से ही मेरे मन में इस उत्सव को देखने की गहरी इच्छा थी। लगभग तीन महीने की तैयारी के बाद जब मैं वहाँ पहुँचा, तो शहर की रौनक और सृजनात्मकता ने मुझे मंत्रमुग्ध कर दिया।
हर गली, हर मोड़ पर थीम-आधारित भव्य पंडाल सजे थे। हर पंडाल की अपनी अलग कहानी, अपनी कलात्मक पहचान थी। भीड़ इतनी ज़्यादा थी कि कई जगह लोगों को चार-पाँच घंटे तक लाइन में खड़ा रहना पड़ रहा था – और फिर भी उनके चेहरों पर थकान नहीं, बल्कि उत्साह था।
लेकिन जब मैं इस चमक-दमक से थोड़ा दूर निकला, तो मुझे बोनेदी बाड़ी – यानी पुराने ज़मींदार परिवारों की पूजा – देखने का अवसर मिला। वहाँ इतिहास और परंपरा की एक अलग महक थी, पर साथ ही मैंने कुछ ऐसा महसूस किया जिसने मुझे असहज कर दिया। रसोई में बाहरी लोगों के प्रवेश पर रोक, और पूजा के आयोजन में छिपा हुआ जातिगत भेदभाव – यह सब देखकर लगा कि भक्ति और भव्यता के पीछे समाज की गहरी परतें अब भी जस की तस हैं।
पंडालों के बाहर मुझे एक और दृश्य देखने को मिला – सड़क किनारे महिलाएँ और उनके बच्चे छोटे-छोटे ठेलों पर खाना बेचते हुए। वे रोल का आटा गूँथ रहे थे, अंडे फेंट रहे थे, सब्जियाँ काट रहे थे। उनके लिए पूजो का मतलब भक्ति या उत्सव नहीं था – बल्कि यह उनके लिए जीविका का साधन था। उसी दौरान मैंने कई ऐसे लोग भी देखे जो सड़कों पर बिना घर, बिना साफ कपड़ों के भटक रहे थे – जिनकी ज़िंदगी पूजा की रोशनी से कोसों दूर थी।
इन सब दृश्यों ने मुझे भीतर तक झकझोर दिया। एक तरफ़ शहर का चमकता चेहरा था – संगीत, रोशनी और खुशियाँ; और दूसरी तरफ़ वही शहर का दूसरा चेहरा – मेहनत, उम्मीद और असमानता से भरा हुआ।
इस अनुभव ने मुझे यह सोचने पर मजबूर किया कि दुर्गा पूजा, जिसे बंगाल की संस्कृति की पहचान कहा जाता है, क्या सच में सबकी पूजा है? या यह भी समाज के भीतर छिपे वर्ग और जाति के फर्क का प्रतिबिंब है?
