Durga Puja-2013

  I came to know about the exact data of Mahalaya just two days before (Thanks to Facebook). Being married to a non-Bengali and being away from Kolkata for ten years, indeed make me forget about lots of Bengali cultures. No I am not complaining..just stating a fact. If you are in West Bengal,  you want or do not want ..advertisements, sales will make you aware of the biggest festival of State is coming. However, the changing weather of Boston only makes me aware of the fact, fall is approaching. U might be thinking I am snob..I am not .

   My Durga puja became less meaningful for me with time. May be I am getting old. However, I miss those moments of childhood................... I cannot remember exactly the time..but I had a Shiuli tree ( scientific name Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) in our Kolkata home. I think I might be 7-8 years old that time. Every day morning I would get up early, run under that Shiuli tree and get amazed by seeing those white flowers completely covering the ground below. I miss those days, the fragrance of Shiuli..the soft white petals and orange floral stems. Not so long before (may be five year down the lane), I was in Chennai at in-Laws place and those familiar scent floated in the air. I ran downstairs and found our neighbor had the same tree. That was the last time I saw her, felt her in my palm. Hence, my Durga Puja does not get complete without the smell of Shiuli and morning running to pick them, make garland out of them.

  The preparation of Durga Puja used to start at least one month before with the smell of new clothes and frequent trips to Tailor's shop (Tailor uncle made my dresses from the age 3 until I got married). ...fashionable frocks with different designs. I have a vague memory of soft clothes, nice patterns….mostly small floral prints. I think first time I selected my own dress when I was like sixteen years old. Still I had no complain and actually I kind of liked those dresses chose by my father. Now, after these many years and losing my mother, the expectation is reduced to sub zero level.  

      One more thing which made my Durga Puja memorable was the bunch of new books published in occasion of Durga Puja . Lots of my memories are attached to those books. I remember my father brought my first Anandamela Pujabarshiki (which is a special book still now gets released during Durga Puja) when I was six. I read that book like the bees get to know first time where is honey. After these many years I still cannot forget the feverish reading without getting up from bed . Most of the authors keep their best literary work to be published during the pious occasion of Durga Puja. So there would be lots of expectation among book-lovers . Here in united states ,I miss that spirit a lot. Indeed, one can get all the books that publish there in USA but the spirit of young mind waiting eagerly every day for the fresh new pages to smell, to hold in her hands and read and feeling is missing. I told you I am getting old..