Timeless traditions

Puja is as much about enjoyment as rituals. But while welcoming the benefits of change, we should not rail against the sanctity of tradition,
says Parag Biswas

The azure sky with fleecy white clouds and the nip in the air marks the advent of autumn – the season for Bengal’s most popular festival, Durga Puja or the worship of Goddess Durga. There was a time when Durga Puja was synonymous with sacred rituals. Not just the rites performed in front of the idol from Saptami to Dashami, but other “secular”, intimate ones. Pandal-hopping, shopping for clothes and shoes, looking forward to AIR’s puja numbers and waiting for the popular Sunday programme, Anurodher Asor, and the release of sharodiya souvenirs, long-playing records and musical soirees - these were all part of the elaborate ritual of ushering in the Devi. But these customs and their simplicities have been on their way out for the past 30 years. Durga Puja - poised midway between a quintessential Bengali festival and an all-out carnival - is no more just about devotion, but also about big business. Puja shopping in Siliguri, the business hub of north Bengal - is no longer restricted to the crowded, suffocating counters of Bidhan Market and Hawkers’ Corner. Pandal-hopping is not just about offering respects to members of the Shiva clan and munching chicken rolls at the tuck shop round the corner. One must visit the new Chinese restaurant and munch popcorn with their respective partner at a shopping mall. Even pratima darshan has taken on a whole new meaning. Pandal-hoppers don’t just stare reverentially at the goddess any more. Rather, they search for the most spectacular theme and scout for the weirdest, the most outlandish materials that has been used to erect a pandal. Thrift is passé. Revellers are not shy of splurging and the prevailing principle is “have money, will spend”. Youngsters are no longer happy sitting down at extended adda sessions at the pandals, stealing glances and holding hands. Even 10 years ago, at best, they would go pandal-hopping. But now they have lavish parties, visit discos and spend thousands on dresses. It is the top brands on display at the shopping arcades in the town that dictate our style. Puja outfits have gone designer. Traditional patterns, punjabi, taanter sari and salwar kameez are out and branded jeans are in. Film stars and television artists dictate fashion statements. Youngsters are keener to slip into what their favourite celebrity and actors wear. The changing trends are reflected in puja delicacies as well. Gone are the days when peda, sandesh, dalpuri, chhanar kalia, dhoka and chhanar chop were offered as bhog. Chandan khir, which was prepared with condensed milk, saffron and pista on Mahaspatmi, is no longer on the Puja menu. The era of king-size delicacies, when radhaballavis were as big as plates and a goja weighed as much as a block of stone is over. The new generation prefers sushi over khichuri. Most of them relish non-vegetarian preparations during the festivals, a strict no-no for earlier generations. The younger members of bonedi families in the region are no longer interested in traditional rituals. They prefer to spend time with friends and eat out. It is only the Sandhi Pujo and Ashtami Arati that makes them stay back. Puja festivities no longer mean waiting for the release of Puja albums. These album have lost their importance as thousands of cassettes and CDs are released throughout the year. Many modern musicians do not follow the traditional practice of Puja releases. There was a time when, prior to the Pujas, people would eagerly wait for Anurodher Asar. It was extremely popular. AIR would play new numbers of famous and upcoming artistes. Today, technology has taken over from music. Cassettes, CDs and downloaded music from the internet is popular practice among the young generations. But what if the style in which we celebrate our biggest festival has changed. King Arthur had ages before said, “The old order changeth, yielding place to the new.” We all need someone to throw us a rope that suggests the presence of an alternative means of merry-making. The change in the style in which Bengalis now celebrate their most favourite ritual is indeed a natural metamorphosis of a religious festival into a cultural occasion. Pandals are tastefully decorated with dazzling lights and theme Pujas have provided a new taste to look forward to. Musicians, who religiously follow Western notes and pattern, have changed popular tastes as they relieved the monotony of traditional music. “What’s wrong if people are wearing jeans, listening to rock and spending more? The Pujas are a time to celebrate and the people are doing just that,” said a 23-year-old . Yes. But we are gullible and prone to fall prey to perilous temptations and believe in ridiculous arguments easily. When traditionalists debunk modernism, they are inevitably killing the joys that puncture our illusions. For, a part of us knows deep down that much of the change in the style of celebrating the Pujas, that has a lot to do with economics, does not augur well for the festival. Puja is as much about rituals as about enjoyment. We must welcome the benefits of a change but we should not rail at the traditions that retain the sanctity of rituals.