For Rituparna Ganguly, saying goodbye to Durga involves the small attentions of seeing a daughter off: sweets to offer, a diya to light and paan to give her before she leaves.
The goddess is returning to her sasural, and there are things to be done before the farewell.
It is a surreal feeling for Bengalis everywhere,” said Ganguly, a Trinity Tower resident who has attended the community’s Durga Puja for 13 years. Over those 13 years, Ganguly has seen the celebrations draw people beyond the Bengali community. At DLF Club5 in Gurugram, residents from different neighbourhoods gathered for Sindoor Khela, bringing the community’s Durga Puja celebrations to a close. Women dressed in traditional attire offered prayers to the goddess before taking part in the exchange that gives the ritual its name. In the women’s accounts, the goddess occupied several places in the family. She was a daughter being sent back to her marital home, a mother whose visit was ending, someone whose arrival made their own surroundings feel more like home. “When Maa comes, it feels like we are coming home too. Ivy Datta, who lives in Wellington Estate, spoke of Durga as a mother coming home. Her description of the farewell held an affectionate exchange of blessings: the women wished the goddess well in her family life and sought her blessings for their own. “It is our way of blessing her married life with Lord Shiva and her family, and in turn she blesses us with health and prosperity. “It feels like a traditional, homely puja.
The puja has become an annual occasion that residents from different backgrounds look forward to, she said, with participation extending across the surrounding neighbourhoods. Everyone is helpful and participates, from the aarti to the rituals, so you feel like you belong to one family,” Sharma said.
