Celebrate Durga Puja 2008 with Baybasi at Foster City
The blue skies of “Sarat” with large fluffy white clouds, the fragrance of “Shiuli” flower, the gentle swaying of “kash” and beatings of the “dhak” – all this symbolizes only one thing for a Bengali – it is celebration time, it is Durga Puja time. It is the time to wear new clothes, pandal hopping, forgetting about any dietary restrictions, gorging down on yummy delicacies and having a fun time with near and dear ones!
Location:
Bowditch Middle School
1450 Tarpon Street
Foster City, CA 94404
Puja dates:
Oct 4th Saturday and Oct 5th Sunday.
Baybasi Inc. is a non-profit social-cultural organization of the Residents of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA. The organization was formed in 2001 in Foster City, California and was incorporated as a non-profit in 2008. The name “Baybasi” is split English and Bengali, and means "Residents by the Bay (Area)". Baybasi is a membership based organization and its goals are broadly defined in its vision and mission statement.
Vision :
Facilitate members and their friends and relatives and public at large to enhance their spiritual, cultural, social and artistic experiences through activities related to our rich cultural heritage.
Mission:
Promote awareness of Indian ethnic identity and its cultural and spiritual heritage. Organize cultural events involving (without limitation) Bengali and other Indian traditional and contemporary songs, drama and dances. Plan and host periodic conferences and meetings to allow members to learn, network and share experiences for personal and career development. Organize events to raise funds for the relief of distress and other charitable causes.
Address:
BAYBASI, Inc.
PO Box 4538
Foster City, CA, 94404
webmaster@baybasi.org
baybasi.admin@gmail.com
Baybasi presents "Durga Puja 2008"
The blue skies of “Sarat” with large fluffy white clouds, the fragrance of “Shiuli” flower, the gentle swaying of “kash” and beatings of the “dhak” – all this symbolizes only one thing for a Bengali – it is celebration time, it is Durga Puja time. It is the time to wear new clothes, pandal hopping, forgetting about any dietary restrictions, gorging down on yummy delicacies and having a fun time with near and dear ones.
So, if you are not in Bengal and still want to enjoy the fun, festivities and frolic of Durga Puja in Foster City, how do you do it – well, get the Durga Puja here.
Durga Puja
When we first came here about ten years back, our disappointment knew no bounds when we came to know that some of us would not be able to be in Kolkata during Durga Puja. But there was a glimmer of hope – we had heard that Durga Puja was celebrated in a few places in the Bay Area. To add more strangeness to this whole experience – after we had conveyed our Bijoya Pranams and greetings to elders and near and dear ones in Kolkata, we went out and got our first taste of the zipped version of Durga Puja here in USA. Going to a Durga Puja after Bijoya Dashami – well why not , you are in the US of A after all and anything goes here.
Though it was a strange feeling, but after reaching the Puja celebrations – we could find almost all that we were missing – the “Pandal” was there, the “Pratima” was there, chanting of the puja “mantras”, “puspanjali”, sound of the dhak, Prasad and khichuri – made us feel for a while we were back in Kolkata.
Small groups of people were scattered all around engaging in one of our favorite pastimes – Adda. To add to all this was the shimmer and shine of colorful silk sarees and punjabi kurta’s. Some old friends, some new ones. Stalls selling sarees, Indian curios, Music CD’s added to the ambience. It was almost like back at home.
With the passing of days, our roots over here dug deeper into the ground, we gained experience and courage and also the desire to start celebrating some our festivities here – our small group decided to celebrate Saraswati Puja here. Nothing big or grand, something small that we would be able to manage. This was the beginning, seven years back of the first Sarawati puja celebration by us. Baybasi was born.
With each passing year came new faces and names – the small Saraswati puja that we had started got bigger and grander – Baybasi was no longer a small collection of families, we had grown to about nearly hundred persons by now.
Yes, it was time to move on and get our hands into something bigger – so, why not a Durga Puja. This year a few of us got together during our Saraswati puja celebration and planted the idea of a Durga Puja in Foster City by Baybasi.
Some were skeptical some were enthusiastic but the idea caught on. We were on our way to the next milestone – “DURGA PUJA”. The journey has begun, preparations are on and we are eagerly looking forward to this great occasion. Baybasi will be celebrating Durga Puja for the first time in Foster City, California. We know it will not be perfect, but we will do our best to make this an occasion of joy and happiness for everybody.
This will provide an opportunity to everyone interested to participate in an active way to prepare for this great event and then partake in the fun and festivities on the days of the Durga Puja. We extend a warm welcome to anyone who is interested to work with us to make this event a grand success.
A few lines on Durga Puja.
Durga Puja signifies the victory of good over evil.
According to Hindu mythology a demon named Mahishasura, earned the favor of Lord Bramha after a long and hard penance. Lord Bramha, impressed with his devotion, blessed him that no man would be able to kill him and that only a woman can kill him. Mahishasura was very pleased with this boon as he thought that a woman can never defeat him. Arrogant Mahishasura started his reign of terror over the universe and people were killed mercilessly. He even attacked the place of the gods and conquered the heavens and became their leader.
After their defeat and humiliation at the hands of Mahishasura, the gods took refuge under Lord Brahma, who took them to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. In answer, the three Gods combined their divine energy and create up a feminine form so brilliantly that it would kill the devil.
The beautiful Durga, equipped with the fearsome weaponry of the gods, was ready to engage in battle with the fierce and cruel Mahishasura. Mahishasura and his demon allies found their attention drawn from heaven to Earth, as Durga's power moved its way towards heaven.
A fierce battle took place. Finally when Mahishasura in the in the form of a buffalo charged against Durga, the Devi beheaded the buffalo and from it emerge Mahishasura in his original form. Durga pierced his chest with the trident and relieved the world from the evil power. That is why she is 'Durgatinashini Durga', our mother goddess who destroys the evil, protects her devotees and establishes peace and prosperity on earth.
Debipokher agomoney Maa er abhirbhav mrinmoyi rupey.
SOURCE: http://www.baybasi.org
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