BALURGHAT: The once-grand Durga Puja of the Manohali Zamindar (landlord) family in Tapan, South Dinajpur, has today become a community-led festival, continuing a tradition that began more than 160 years ago.
The Puja was first initiated in 1861 by Tarachand Bandyopadhyay, who had migrated with his family from Singi village in Bardhaman. According to local accounts, Tarachand started the worship following a divine vision, building a mud Thakurdalan (venue for worshipping) where the festival took root. With time, the celebration became a regional event, drawing participation from neighbouring villages such as Azmatpur, Poli and Mahadebpur. Visitors were invited in large numbers and daily food offerings meant households in many surrounding villages did not cook during the four days of festivities. Cultural programmes like jatra performances and ‘Mangalam’ added to the vibrancy.
After Tarachand’s death, his sons Rameshchandra and Yogeshchandra constructed a permanent Thakurdalan to hold the festival. But the abolition of the Zamindari system dealt a blow to the family’s financial resources. Unable to continue funding the celebrations, the family handed over responsibility to the villagers, who have since maintained the tradition as a Barowari Puja. “Just as the Zamindars once performed the rituals, we continue the practice collectively through our committee,” said Chandan Barman, a local resident. Puja committee treasurer Anil Das added: “We have been organising this Puja for over 30 years. Old traditions like jatra and devotional songs are still part of the celebrations.”
Today, the original Thakurdalan of the Zamindar house stands in a dilapidated state, overrun with weeds and showing signs of decay. The worship, however, has shifted to a temple built within the village, where the Puja continues to be observed with devotion. Tarachand’s great-grandson, Ranadip Bandyopadhyay, visits every year to witness the community-led celebrations. “After the Zamindari system ended, it was no longer possible for the family to shoulder the expenses. Now, villagers organise everything. Over time, even the idols have changed—the colours of Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati and even the demon have been altered. Earlier, the rituals followed Shakta tradition but today they are performed in Vaishnav style,” he said. Azmatpur Panchayat chief Ramprasad Roy noted: “The villagers have faithfully kept the Puja alive, following all rituals.”
From the grandeur of Zamindari patronage to the collective spirit of villagers, Manohali’s Durga Puja remains a living heritage that bridges the past and present.