350-year-old tradition: Muslim community lights way for Goddess Durga’s return journey

Malda: Amid royal treatment and keeping up with the 350-year-old tradition, people belonging to the Muslim community light the way for Goddess Durga in Chachal, Malda with lanterns on her journey back.

The Durga idol of the Chanchal Royal Family is taken to Paharpur Temple, 2 km away from Chanchal, on the day of ‘Maha Saptami’. As per tradition, the Durga idol is carried on a throne with a brass umbrella accompanied by the sound of five traditional instruments.

The organisers state that the Puja started around 350 years ago. In the late 16th century, the then King Ramachandra Roychoudhury found the idol of Goddess Durga (in the form of Devi Chandi with four hands) while bathing in Mahananda river at Paharpur and received orders in his dream to worship her.

Later, Sharatchandra Roychoudhury built the ‘Chandi Mandap’. Now in the absence of any successor of the dynasty, the whole Puja is conducted by the official trustee board.

Pinaki Bhattacharya, a member of the board, said: “According to the rituals of this Puja, on ‘Krishna Navami tithi’, the Puja is invoked through ‘ghat’ (pot) worship before thirteen days of Durga ‘Saptami tithi’. The idol is immersed in Gotapukur, a pond, on ‘Dashami’.”

The immersion ceremony is unique. People belonging to the Muslim community stand with lanterns on the banks of the pond. As long as the men and women of this community do not light up the Gotapukur with lanterns, Goddess Durga is not taken for immersion. Thousands of people flock to the banks of the pond to witness this ancient tradition of the Chanchal Royal house.

According to the residents of Chanchal, an epidemic broke out in the Paharpur area long back which especially affected the people of the Muslim community. Many elders of that Muslim community were instructed by the Goddess in their dreams to guide Maa Durga by lighting a lamp during the immersion ritual. Since there was no electricity at the time, lanterns were used.

When Goddess Durga was taken for immersion before ‘Dashami’, the people of the Muslim community walked in in a row, lighting up the road with lanterns. Since then, it is believed that people were cured and this has instilled strong faith in the Goddess.

Devi Durga is regularly bathed in the reservoir known as Satighat on the west bank of Mahananda river in Paharpur area of Chanchal.