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Rhythm divine
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Bengalis in Hyderabad are set to celebrate Durga Puja in a big way
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Photo: Ranjeet Kumar
Festive fervour Devotees offering ’arati’ to Goddess Durga
It’s Siraj-ud-daula this year,” said Deepak Bhattacherjee, president of the Bangiya Sanskritik Sangha, taking a sip of his tea, snatching a minute’s break from the din inside the large committee room in Keyes High School . “And our celebration features a Jatra (a traditional folk theatre art of Bengal),” he clarified.
Inside the committee roomrehearsals were on in full gusto in various clusters across the School for Tagore’s dance drama, skits and ballets. Sharidiya Sarvojanin Durgotsab (Durga Puja) is almost here. In the open area outside, with a few bare floodlights lighting up the late evening dusk, the workmen went about with the construction of the Puja pandal with perfunctory disdain. The bamboo superstructures and the tarpaulins were being slotted in. “Our decoration and art work includes visages of Muslim grandeur as well. The Puja pandals in Calcutta are based on cloth work whereas the ones in Hyderabad are more plaster of Paris and ply based,” said Tamal Dhar, Secretary, whose team has been doing this for more than 20years.
The Puja is an opportunity for continuity with the Bengali culture. “Lest our children forget their roots,” says Sarbagnya anxiously. Rehearsals, snacks, change of clothes, children’s homework, a quick nap…
It is like one large happy community kitchen during these times, adds Ruchira, his wife. “We don’t miss Calcutta at all. Yet, Calcutta is very much a part of the Durga Puja here,” according to Haldar. The dhaki (drumer), the clay, the dasakarma items – all come from there. The Sangha boasts free bhog (God’s offering) to 8,000 people a day on those four days. Less than a week to go for the much awaited beat of the dhak to fill the autumn air.
BALAJI VITTAL
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Puducherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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