Jamaldah’s Durga Puja enters 123rd year
Cooch Behar: Durga Puja at the Jamidarbari of Jamaldah has touched the 123rd mark this year. Interestingly, the roots of this Puja are centred around a Kali temple, known as the Joy Kali Temple. The 123-year-old tradition is continued by the Niyogi family of Joy Kalibari Para, adjacent to Jamaldah Bazar.
Birendra Prashad Niyogi and Kamini Prashad Niyogi performed the first Durga Puja next to this Kali temple 123 years ago. They built a Durga Dalan (an enclosed space to house the Durga idol to perform the Puja). Since then, the Puja has been held in this Durga Dalan and has passed down through four generations. Among the local people, there are several beliefs and stories surrounding this temple.
Occasionally, the sound of ‘Nupur’ is heard around the temple, though it’s not entirely clear what causes the sound. What’s most surprising is that both the temple and the Durga Dalan are guarded by ten stray dogs. On the heels of the Durga Puja, Kali Puja is held in the nearly 250-year-old Joy Kali temple in the Jamindar Bari. The idol of Joy Kali Temple in Jamaldah was revealed in a dream and was fished out from a pond about 3 km away from the Rajbari. Along with the stone idol, a mat and a bell were also brought out of the pond. Maa Kali is accompanied by a pair of white cobras in this temple.
Siddhartha Niyogi, the current head of the Niyogi family and the temple, is a retired school teacher and former assistant headmaster of Jamaldaha Tulsi Devi Higher Secondary School. “The main aim of the Niyogi family’s Puja in Jamaldah is to perform it with unwavering devotion. Birendra Prasad Niyogi and Kamini Prasad Niyogi initiated this Puja. The rituals commence on Janmashtami, when the wooden structure of the idol is worshiped and then handed over to the craftsman for preparing the Durga idol. There are special rituals for collecting water from seven seas and soil, which is later used in the Puja.”
“This Puja was the only one-of -its-kind in the area and during the festivities, Prasad (food offerings) was provided for the visitors over the course of four days,” added Neogi.
