WAITING FOR THE AUTUMN FESTIVAL
The monsoons have slowly reduced in intensity, the constant downpour have reduced and slowly the clouds are giving way to clear blue sky , with a few brave cloudets still holding ground, dotted here and there in the sky. The clearing sky and a soft breeze in Kolkata are soft indicators of the autumn fall and the autumn festival to come each year. The Kolkata suburbs and village areas are lush green with a new set of rice crops being sowed by farmers, and the monsoon soon making the rice crops fully grown ready to harvest.
Down the streets of Kolkata, near the hoogly ghats, the clay artists are busy since months, slowly moulding the clay durga idol to her final shape, the Hindu goddess –who saved the world from the evil deeds of the Asura- mahishasura. As a child every day on my way to school I used to pass by a similar clay artisan busy making the Durga Idol, I always wondered how the artisan made the idols so perfect. I stood for a minute or too everyday by the artisan observing the goddess slowly emerge out of clay into a heavenly figure with 10 arms riding an angry lion.
The day of the Mahalaya, is in a way the quietest of all the 9 days of the autumn festival but indeed the most exciting of the entire 9 days. People awake before sunrise listening to the mahalaya hymns over the radio everywhere clearly state that the the times we had been waiting for the entire year have come by. The vedic hymns recited everywhere from temple to the state radio from early morning have remained unchanged over years even though the face of the city has changed quite a bit over the years. The hymns sung in praise of the goddess are not completely understood but are strong enough to make every resident of this city rise up with joy on hearing the same happy hymns that bring with it so much of merriment and joy.I will tell you about another very common thing visible in every home in Kolkata., and that is watching the same enactment of the war between durga and mahishsura over television still telecast on televisions unchanged over decades now. The same feeling of victory over evil, about evil being vulnerable in front of our courage still fills every time you observe the spirit of Kolkata and its people over the 9 days of durga puja. Every locality has a tarpaulin and bamboo pandal being shaped into a new temple, a palace or a beautiful monument that would house the goddesses’ idol for the next 9 days of the durga puja.
The rest of the durga puja is not unknown to anyone in India. The pomp and spirit with which the goddess comes and touches every person in the city with happiness is indeed so amazing. September is ending and the weathers fast changing, slowly giving way to the same time of the year every person down east of our country have been waiting for.
Its "MAHA SHOSHTI" today and Durga Puja Is here once again. So wishing you all a great autumn festival ahead. May the goddess bless you all and may you have a great time this year your friends and family.