Dashami - Shubho Bijoya

Dashami - Dhaak Dhaak - Dashami
All you guys out there, does Dashami or Dusshera need any reference or storytelling? Raise your hands, those who are unaware of the Rama-Ravana story or a crying Ma Durga returning home with her kids story!

For us at 9th Phase, Adarshnagar, all we knew was 'Sindoor Khela' and then the "born-sobre-turned-wild" dance. 'Sindoor Khela' - the traditional Bengali holi amongst all married women with vermilion and sweets - began after all the ladies in our area had finished 'Boron'. Well 'boron', for that matter, is another ritual wherein the ladies bid Ma Durga the final formal goodbye.

To any pandal you visit on Dashami morning, you are bound to be greeted by a long queue of women carrying plates having sindoor (vermilion), alta (vermilion liquid that Benaglis use to outline their feet; a sign of Lakshmi), paan (betel leaves), supari (betel nut), dhaan (rice with husk), dubba (the three-leaved grass) and of course mishti! These are traditionally the items required while welcoming or greeting farewell to a newly wedded girl. For us, Ma Durga is forever new and so we always usher her and bid farewell the same way, each year. For the unmarried young females like me and Sri, who joined us on Dashami, the aunties gave us a sindoor tika on the forehead and sweets.

The procession was scheduled to leave by 2 in the afternoon as a 10-minute drive on that day gets over in 3 hours or maybe more. Reason? The very same "born-sobre-turned-wild" dance. Before the idols of Durga and her children were lifted onto trucks, the junior members, the ladies and the children did a warm up dance, swaying away with the rythmic beat of Dhaaki.

As Sri was very sleepy post lunch, i left her to take a 15 min nap and came running to the pandal.
Once the procession began, all hell broke loose. No no, no quarrels; rather each one left his/her garb of shyness, especially the womenfolk and joined into the frenzy. The guys really do not need a special mention. I am sure, one look at these pictures and videos and you can guess the level of madness that engulfed them.

While Biswas uncle did a 'dhunachi naach', the traditional Bengali dance with dhunachi, Sur uncle merrily threw his hands and feet into the air in all possible ways. Meanwhile Niraj uncle and Santosh Bhaiya did a “Durge Durgotinashini” move (remember Mahalaya and Ma Durga killing the buffalo-demon Mahisasur?). MM and Bangobash Boudi (I should call her aunty but she is known by this address amongst us) also did a Mahalaya dance but herein we could not understand who Durga is and who is Mahisasur. The localites have also seen them on TV with cameramen and reporters going around the city to cover such delights!

And the Dhaakis? The dhaakis have been with us ever since the Puja began. They knew whom to instigate into the frenzy and whom to pacify, with the beat of the dhaak and its accompaniments. As we moved out of our area, many of us followed the procession in their cars although a separate matador had been arranged to take all those willing to the ghat. Dad, Mom, Jhelum Di, Sri and me were packed into our car. Titu, my brother danced along with the other 'para' guys all the way. On our way, we dropped Sri off before proceeding towards the Kharkai ghat.

It started drizzling by the time we reached the spot. Many of us returned home and then concurred at the pandal for Bijoya Sammelani - the congregation post Visarjan - to wish each other the greetings of the season.

"Shubho Bijoya" to all of you there. I hope you liked wat you read. By the way, in my narration, you must have come across "us" mentioned several times. In case you wish to know who this "us" is, I am referring to Mita Masi, Paul Kaki, Jethu & Jethi (Piu's momand dad), Shantanu's Dad, Sur Jethu, Jhelum Di, Kiran aunty, Srivastava aunty and some four more aunties and uncles whose names i do not know but address them as "kakima". These people, besides the junior and senior committee members really put in their 100% to make the Puja a huge success.

This Puja has crossed its twelfth year now. Although, there maybe some misunderstandings or disagreements, what I appreciate about this entire annual episode is that everything straightens out in the end. The frenzied dance on every Dashami has people who may not look eye to eye for the entire year but on those three days, all ill-feelings take a back seat. Each one helps the other as and when needed without a hesitation.

And thus, i feel pround to be a part of this entire ceremony. pardon me if there has been a mistake in the narration somewhere. You are most welcome to bring any such discrepancy to my notice. Till next year, Put your left hand up and keep swaying away to the beat of Dhaak (its tapori dance anyway :) ) and say "Ashchey Bochor Abaar Hobe!" (May this Puja be celebrated each year with the same zeal).