'Living Durga' woos crowds in Durga Puja

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AgenciesPosted: Oct 09, 2008 at 1204 hrs IST

Kolkata, October 9: This is a puja pandal in Kolkata, now in the midst of the annual Durga Puja, with a difference. Scores of devotees, who spend hours in the streets admiring the numerous puja pandals with intricate architecture mimicking objects of art, are awe-struck when they come face to face with "living" goddesses at a simply decorated pandal in south Kolkata.
People have been thronging the tiny pandal where "living" goddesses, young girls playing Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati have substituted the idols.

The members of Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya have been depicting the presence of 'Durga' and 'Asura' in all human beings by putting up three girls dressed up as Durga and her daughters - Lakshmi and Saraswati – at Spiritual Museum opposite Shambhunath Pandit Hospital on Elgin Road in Kolkata.

"Girls, who practise simple Rajyoga or meditation, have dressed up as goddesses and stand still on the pandal with Durga clutching a trident, Saraswati holding a veena and Lakshmi depicted with a pot of wealth," Brahmakumari Meera said.

However, the pandal is conspicuous by the absence of the Mahisasura who is slain by Durga. It also does not feature Durga's sons – Lord Kartik and Lord Ganesh.

"The asura usually sits at the feet of Durga. But this year Durga is slaying the five vices of lust, anger, greed, pride and infatuation. We planned to have kids to play Kartik and Ganesh but as they could not be expected to sit still for long, so we had to do away with that," Meera said.
The girl representing Durga holds the trident with two hands. The eight artificial hands fixed on her back on the wall hold instruments of "peace, cooperation, happiness, power, love, purity and humility".

The visitors also stand fixed, watching the "living goddesses" which are based on various themes. This year's theme depicts victory of Durga which comprises virtues in oneself over the vices of self which could be compared with the monsters being slain by Durga.
"How could they stay still without even blinking?" asked Sarbani Chatterjee, a visitor from Shyambazar in north Kolkata.

Chatterjee visits the "Jibanto" (Living) Durga pandal every year to see how someone could stand still even as people in the crowd wait for the living goddesses to blink or move. Voices like "look, Durga is moving" or "Saraswati is shifting her feet" or "Lakshmi is blinking" are often heard.

Surabhi, who stood as Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga in the past two days of the festival, said, "As we overhear the comments we try to do our best but regular practice of meditation helps us to stand still for hours."

"I visited puja pandals on the first day and did not like the crowd. It is better to stay here and play goddesses," said Surabhi, a student of class VIII in Delhi Public School, when asked whether she had missed visiting puja pandals.

A curtain is pulled before the standing girls every five minutes to give them 2-minute break and let the crowd disperse. The "Living Durga" show is held from 7 pm to 12 midnight during the four-day of Durga puja except the last day of Bijoya Dashami.

"While standing on the pandal, we meditate which helps us not to get distracted by the crowd," Harsha, a teacher in National High School for Girls, said during a break.

Brahmakumari Meera of the organisation said they organised the Living Goddess show to create curiosity among people about meditation.

"When many visitors ask what helps the girls to stay still for such a long time, we explain them the benefits of meditation. Many of them come later to learn simple Rajyoga," she said.

Several girls offer to play goddesses and the authorities try to give them opportunity in turns. They procure the filigree from the market and decorate it themselves.

Visitors patiently wait in front of the pandal for the curtain to go up. They take photos of the "living goddesses" with mobile cameras and children look in wonder as devotional music plays in the background. source: express india

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What is Kumari puja ?

Day of anjali & attraction

The Metro guide to understanding and enjoying Ashtami 2008 better...

What is Kumari puja, held on Ashtami?
It’s the worship of a virgin, who should be between one and 16 years old, not married, of “good temperament” and who has not begun to menstruate. She is bathed, dressed in new clothes, adorned with flowers and worshipped as the living goddess. Head for Belur Math, where the ritual is observed famously.

When can you offer anjali today? Is it really important to fast before anjali?
From 8.30am to 2pm. It is important to fast, if you want to offer anjali the right way. If health does not permit it, Markandeyapurana prescribes minimal food. The food inside (or outside) should not keep you from focusing on the puja.

What is Sandhi puja?
Sandhi puja takes place over the last 24 minutes of Mahashtami and the first 24 minutes of Mahanavami, hence the name. Durga is worshipped in her ferocious Chandi avatar during this time, which is why the sacrifice (of an ox or goat) is scheduled to take place during the ritual, at exactly the midpoint between Ashtami and Navami, to propitiate the goddess. This year Sandhi puja will be performed between 12.05am and 12.53am (Gupta Press almanac) and 3.17am and 4.05am (Bisuddha Siddhanta almanac).

Which places should I visit? Can I ask questions about puja themes?
Do the south leg on Ashtami — Badamtala (catch a glimpse of Preity Zinta if you’re lucky or at least Mithunda), Mudiali, Shib Mandir and 66 Palli. Then head towards snack address Aabar Khabo in Kalighat and gobble up yummy telebhaja.

Do not ask too many questions. For example, if the puja theme is “mahashunya (space)”, as it is at Babubagan, do not ask why the goddess is flying off into space. Do not ask what all of that has to do with Aryabhatta discovering zero. If the theme is “ashray” (shelter), do not ask why the entire pandal must look like a forest.

Are wild animals alone entitled to shelter?
Metro Rail timings?
2pm to 4am, trains available at intervals of 8 to 20 minutes.

What to wear and what to eat?
Fashion clue of the day is kurtas and sherwanis . If you have pizzas for dinner in mind, remember the 30-minute delivery time is not valid now. But the toppings should remain the same.

What to watch out for?
The final round of judging for CESC The Telegraph True Spirit Awards.

What is a must-do on Ashtami?
Be attracted to a boy/girl or dada/boudi. No crush, no Ashtami.
source: the telegraph india

Durga Puja, Kumari Puja, Balurghat Kolkata

Third time lucky for Kumari Puja!

BALURGHAT, Oct. 1: While the rest of the town is gearing up to enjoy the pujas, hectic preparation is going on in the Goswami family of Balurghat for a dream come true opportunity.
Their 10-year-old daughter Rangona has been selected for the third time in a row for kumari puja, an integral part of Durga puja. This will be observed at the Khadimpur Girls’ School Para Sarbojoninga Durga Puja in the town.

“The child is under a strict regimen for the occasion. Every effort is being made to keep the child healthy and fit,” said Rangona's mother Mrs Utpala Gowswami. According to the child's parents, Rangona is on a controlled diet, and is following the holy books and prayers as part of the preparation for kumari puja.

“We are telling her the significance of Durga and kumari puja,” the parents said.
A lively child, little Rangana is picking up fast much to the satisfaction of her parents. She said that she was happy to be selected for the part again and did not mind the restrictions she was undergoing. n SNS