The final countdown of the Puja has begun. The city of Kolkata has already started getting dressed up in the joy of the Puja. And the Durga Puja of the city of Kolkata means, in some places the novelty of the theme, and in some places the oldness is the main thing. And the organizer of such a Puja based on the oldness is the Bagbazar Sarvajanin Durgotsav Committee of North Kolkata. This century-old Puja is as if intertwined with the Durgotsav of Kolkata.
One of the main features of the world-famous Bagbazar Universal Durga Puja in Kolkata is the huge crown of the idol. The Bagbazar Universal Durga Puja is world-famous. It is one of the oldest pujas in Kolkata.
Prominent figures like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Chittaranjan Da were once associated with this puja. The main attraction of this puja is the crown on the head of Goddess Durga, Saraswati and Lakshmi!
Bagbazar is a famous public Durga Puja temple in Kolkata, West Bengal. The memory of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is associated with this puja. Established in the Bagbazar area of North Kolkata, this century-old public Durga Puja is at the forefront of the ancient pujas of Kolkata and West Bengal. The idols built according to the ancient Bengali tradition have given a different dimension to Bagbazar, which is why Bagbazar is the center of attraction for public visitors and pilgrims.
The Bagbazar Sarvajanin Puja began in 1919. This puja started at the intersection of Nebubagan Lane and Bagbazar Street, at No. 55, Bagbazar Street. At that time, this Barwari Puja was called Nebubagan Barwari Durga Puja. The puja was held here for a few years. In 1924, the puja was moved to the intersection of Bagbazar Street and Pashupati Bose Lane. The next year, it was moved again to Kantapukur. This puja was also shifted in 1927. In 1927, Durga Puja was held at Bagbazar Kali Mandir.
In 1930, the Bagbazar Public Durga Puja took on its present form through the efforts of the famous lawyer and then Alderman of the Kolkata Municipality, Durgacharan Banerjee. It was named 'Bagbazar Public Durga Festival and Exhibition'.
It was on his initiative that the Bagbazar Public Durga Puja came up on the corporation grounds. The then Mayor Subhash Chandra Bose happily granted this permission. Not only did he allow the use of the municipality grounds, but the Kolkata Municipality also contributed to this puja in Bagbazar.
Due to the initiative of Durgacharan, a full-fledged exhibition related to local industries was associated with this puja. Local industries were invited and given space there. This puja entered its centenary in 2018.
Subhash Chandra Bose became the president of this puja in 1936. Also, the names of many famous people have been associated with the puja of Bagbazar at different times. Among them were Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy and Sir Harishankar Pal.
The eyes of the Durga idol of Baghbazar Sarvajanin are wide open, meaning they are large. The touch of antiquity is clear in the huge idol. The mother's face is wonderfully beautiful. Since the beginning of the puja, the eighth day of 'Veerashtami' has been observed. On that day, stick fighting and physical exercise are exhibited. Khichuri is offered to the mother during the puja.
Baton-wielding, swordplay, and wrestling were among the physical exercises of Bengali revolutionaries during the anti-British independence movement. Gradually, they became part of mother worship.
Following that tradition, a public baton game is organized in Bagbazar on Mahashtami. The puja is inaugurated with the Agamoni song. There is a distribution of clothes on the day of Shasthi. On the day of Ekadashi, meritorious students are felicitated.
The Puja of Bajbazar has been going on for so many years based on tradition. Even people from different districts come to see this Puja for years. Starting from the idol of the mother, the decoration, the arrangements, everything in the Puja has a touch of tradition. The people of Bagbazar and the adjacent areas have been associated with this Puja for generations. In fact, the Puja has one address for everyone, the Thakur Mandap.
On the day of Dashami, not only women from the local area, but many women from other places also participate in the sindoor khela in Bagbazar.
