Cooch Behar: The more than 500-year-old Baro Devi Puja, rooted in the royal legacy of the Cooch Behar Raj, is still celebrated with rituals unchanged since the days of the Maharajas. Distinct from other Durga Pujas, the Baro Devi idol, its colours and traditions reflect a unique heritage that continues to draw devotees from across North Bengal and lower Assam.
Unlike traditional Durga idols, the Baro Devi idol does not feature Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik or Ganesha. Instead, Jaya and Vijaya flank the Goddess and the idol is crafted on Maina wood, a practice initiated during the reign of the Koch dynasty. The idol has been made for generations by the Chitrakar family of Cooch Behar, with artist Prabhat Chitrakar continuing the tradition for the past 36 years.
The rituals begin on Shukla Ashtami of Shravan with the worship of Maina wood at Dangrai Temple, which is later carried to the Madan Mohan Temple and finally installed at the Devi Bari temple on Radha Ashtami. Sacrificial offerings mark the puja from Saptami to Dashami, with immersion rituals conducted according to the ancient tithi system.
One of the most striking traditions is the Gupta Puja on Ashtami night, where members of the Roy family of Siddheshwari still offer drops of their own blood, symbolising a practice that once involved human sacrifice during the early days of the Puja. Today, the practice has been reduced to ritualistic blood offerings, but buffalo sacrifices remain an integral part of the celebrations.
Royal priest Hirendra Nath Bhattacharjee explained: “All the rituals of this Puja were laid down during the reign of the Maharajas. Sacrifices are performed on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami. On Ashtami, the District Magistrate of Cooch Behar, as the royal representative, offers the first Anjali before it is opened to the public.”
The Baro Devi Puja is not just a ritual but also a cultural festival. Fairs spring up around the Devi Bari, and thousands of devotees throng the temple to witness this living piece of history. Even without a reigning king, the grandeur and sanctity of the royal traditions remain intact, making the Baro Devi Puja a symbol of Cooch Behar’s enduring heritage.