things never change with the time. The 287 years old Durga puja of village Surul in Birbhum district of West Bengal is one of that kind, which is timeless. This traditional Durga puja is of the royal family or zamindar of village Surul.
The Thakurdalan, Naat Mandir, schandelier made of Belgian glasses remind one the past glory of this family. Time lost the grandeur but the sincerity still exist here in this puja.
All the members live in India
and abroad comes at Surul to attend the puja. The courtyard of the house becomes a symbol of fair by temporary stalls, shops and the villagers.
300 years ago, one husband and wife with no issues came to the village Surul from a small village of East Barddhaman. Later, they have a son named Krishnapada Sarkar who started to perform autumnly Durga puja after gaining huge profit in business initiated at village Surul of Birbhum.
On the first day of Durga puja, they use to bath the 'Naba Patrika' (কলা বৌ) from their family pond or pool with procession and playing trumpet, dhak, dhol etc. carrying the 'Naba Patrika' in 'palanquin' (palki/পালকি). The food offerings to goddess Durga is mainly sweets made inside the house by special cook. It includes luchi (লুচি) made of flour, various sweets, chhana (cakes), suji and other foods.
This zamindar family has about 200 sub-families and the members about 1000 persons live in India and abroad, comes during the days of puja. On Dashami, the deity of goddess Durga use to get immersed in the river. And after the immersion, they gather at Naat mandir and play shankh (শাঁখ) to call shankha chil (the royal kite) which is very auspicious to the family on the final day (Vijaya Dashami) of Durga puja, they believe.
It says that Nimai Sri Chaitannya Deb once came to district Hooghly for the pilgrimage of Tarakeswar. So he bathed in river Ganga on the bathing ghat of Baidyabati. Then had started his journey to Tarakeswar on foot. It took about 12 hours to reach Tarakeswar. Later, the bathing ghat was named on him and now known to all as Nimai Tirtha Ghat. So, the ghat is about 500 year's old. Kabikankan Mukundaram mentioned this ghat in his mangal kabya, about 400 years ago. Raja Harishchandra of Seoraphuly constructed Nistarini Mandir and Bhadrakali Mandir in the year 1827 beside NimaiTirtha Ghat. then, lakhs of pilgrims take bath on river Ganga from this ghat and take holy water, visit Ma Nistarini and Debi Bhadrakali near, then use to go for Tarakeswar on foot to pour that Gangajal on the shiblinga of Baba Taraknath. The pilgrims use to go to Tarakeswar on the month of Shraban (July-August). Pic 1) The gate of Nimai Tirtha Ghat; Pic 2) The pilgrims are taking bath at the said gha
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