For Over 200 Years, Goddess Durga Is Worshipped Before Holi In Bengal's Serampore

Serampore: There are no prizes for guessing the biggest annual festival of Bengal, as it will unquestionably be the Durga Puja. However, the residents of Serampore in the Hooghly district have been worshiping the demon-slaying goddess for over two centuries on the day of Holi.

Going by the Bengali calendar, in 1212 (Gregorian 1804), Pulinbihari De and Nagendranath De introduced the worshipping of the goddess Durga on the day of Dolyatra at Panchanan Tala in Serampore after receiving divine instruction in their dream. Although the ritual of bathing the Kolabou, or the consort of god Ganesha, is not followed here, the worshipping is performed as per the tradition from the day of Saptami to Dashami, the penultimate day.

Earlier, there was the tradition of sacrificing buffaloes and goats on Nabami, the ninth day, the practice has given way to the offering of fish to the deity. The idol of the deity is flanked by her two companions, Jaya and Vijaya, instead of the traditional offspring Kartik, Ganesh, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The bhog ot prasad is offered on Ashtami and Nabami.

The Serampore Town Club has been organising the festival since 1970. Tanmay Bhattacharya, a member of the club who is in charge of the puja, said, "It is said that Nagendranath De and Pulinbihari De of the De family of Srirampur started this tradition. Initially, it was a family puja and later, it was converted into a general festival. Currently, the Serampore Town Club hosts it. The puja begins on the seventh day of the Dol and continues for four days. Mahabhog is prepared on the eighth day, followed by Matsya Bhog (fish items) on the ninth. About 3,000 devotees take the bhog."

"No house in this neighborhood cooks for these days, and even guests are served with the bhog. Maa Durga is worshipped here in the form of Mahishasuramardini," he added.

Deepti Sanyal, another club member, said, "We start playing Dol by offering Abir at our mother's feet. We start playing with Abir among each other right from the morning when a rally is taken out."

Women play Holi in front of goddess Durga in Serampore. (ETV Bharat)

"This puja is being performed according to Kalika Purana. Since it is based on Tantra, there was a tradition of sacrifice. Although there are no Saptami, Ashtami and Navami tithi as per the Durga Puja rituals, the goddess is worshipped here according to the rules. The puja begins on the full moon day and continues for the next three days. This puja has been performed following a 221-year-old tradition," Tyagi Nath Aghor, the priest, said.

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