Balurghat: Gun firing in open air in Sandhipujo (the juncture of Maha-Astami and Maha-Nabami) is a decade-long old tradition of this zamindar barir Durga Puja since British rule in India.
The Puja is popularly known as Baidul Zamindar Barir Durga Puja held in the ancestral premises of the Chowdhurys in Baidul, 10 km from here.
The Puja was first started with the patronage of a local zamindar Prasanna Lal Chowdhury in 1911. He had six sons and each family has one licensed gun, which is used in Durga Puja every year. The Puja is organised rotationally by the family members of six sons once in every six years.
"This year, we are celebrating 111 years uninterruptedly, one of the oldest family Pujas of South Dinajpur. Our Puja still remains a crowd-puller with many revelers drawn there for a taste of its unique heritage and this year, the Puja is organised by our family," said Raksha Prasad Chowdhury, who is the grandson and successor of Prasanna Lal Chowdhury.
Asking about the tradition of gun firing, Prasanna Lal's great-grandson Budhdhadeb Chowdhury said: "The custom of gun firing was started from the early fifties. The area then was dominated by robbers and goons. They had frequently targeted rich zamindars and landlords. Our forefathers had started the tradition of gun firing in Sandhipujo to send a stern message publicly that they can protect themselves from the goons."
The rusty chandelier and old building have been renovated recently to give the temple a new-look despite witnessing a bygone era that comes alive as if in defiance of time. Thousands of devotees across the district visit the puja. Apart from the puja rituals strictly adhered to according to the shastras, 'Mangalchandi gaan' that is rendered every night during the festivities adds extra flavour to the Puja.