Darjeeling: This time, Devi Durga decided to return home from the Queen of the Hills riding the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR). Marking the 111th year of the Durga Puja, the Nripendra Narayan Bengali Hindu Hall (NNBH) chartered the world heritage train to be a part of the immersion procession to Bangla Khola in Rangbul around 12 km from Darjeeling town. During the centenary celebration in 2014, the DHR was also a part of the immersion procession.
The immersion procession of this heritage Puja is as unique as the Puja itself. “We are still carrying on with the tradition though with time, we have made some changes. On Thursday, the idol was carried on a bamboo structure, till the Darjeeling Railway Station. From there, it was taken to Bangla Khola by a DHR loco,” stated Saibal Chakroborty, organiser.
The procession was an instant hit, with a ‘Dhamsa-Madal’ troupe from Naxalbari and an all women Dhaki team from North 24 Parganas, taking part. Female members of the NNBH Hall, draped in traditional yellow sarees, sang and danced all the way. For Darjeeling, both the Dhamsa-Madal troupe and the all women Dhakis were a first.
It was a treat for tourists waiting for joy rides at the station. They too joined in the revelry, dancing to the tunes of the Dhamsa-Madal (traditional tribal drums) and the Dhaks. “I was missing the Durga Puja back home. I never expected to see a Durga idol at the station accompanied by the sound of the Dhaks, playing the Bisarjan (immersion tune.) I was moved to tears. The Dhamsa-Madal was an added attraction,” stated Arpita Chatterjee from Kolkata. Foreign tourists were seen clicking pictures.
In the olden days the immersion procession of this heritage Puja used to be accompanied by a police band and the members dressed in traditional attire used to sing devotional songs all along the way. The image used to be carried on a bamboo structure, by the youngsters and taken all over town and immersed in Kakjhora, a spring on the outskirts of the town.
On the way to Kakjhora, the Durga Puja procession once halted at affluent Bengali homes, with the final stop at Burdwan Palace. In the early years, the Maharaja of Burdwan viewed the idol and offered a gold coin. The idol was reset in the palace compound, where rituals like ‘baran’ were held, followed by refreshments for NNBH members before moving to Kakjhora. Today, the area has been marred by illegal constructions. After immersion, members gather at the hall for the “Bijoya Sammelan,” exchanging greetings and enjoying malpuas. Established in 1914 in Chandmari, NNBH is steeped in history, having hosted figures such as Sister Nivedita, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Acharya JC Bose and revolutionary Bagha Jatin.