A perfect mix of divine colours and culture
Durga Puja fervour peaks as hundreds of devotees gather at the Ramkrishna Math, Bengali Club and other pandals across the state capital
LUCKNOW: On Sunday morning, a woman folded hands and closed her eyes after watching a six-year-old girl dressed up like a goddess at the Ramkrishna Math in Lucknow.
Like her, hundreds of devotees from various parts of the city gathered at the Math for the ‘Kumari Puja’ – a ritual of worshipping a pre-pubertine girl as the goddess, on Mahashtami.
People offered prayers and ‘anjali’ (floral offerings) amid the beats of dhak (drums). It was a divine experience for many present there as well as a moment of pride for the family of Ananya Banerjee – the girl worshipped as the Goddess.
“A month ago, Swamiji called up and told me about my daughter’s selection for this ritual,” said Jhooma Anupam Banerjee, Ananya’s mother.
Before the selection, saints at the Math had a brief conversation with Class 1 student Ananya. “They asked her whether she can sit for a long time. Ananya replied affirmatively, adding she is used to sit in the class for long,” said Banerjee.
THE RITUAL
The ritual starts from dawn, when after a bath in holy waters, the ‘Kumari’ is draped in a red sari, adorned with floral ornaments and given a ‘sindur’ (vermillion) mark on her forehead.
She sits for hours silently on a decorated chair before Goddess Durga’s idol with priests chanting hymns, creating a mesmerising atmosphere.
Swami Muktinathananda of Ramkrishna Math said, “The ritual symbolises the presence of the divine within every woman and tries to infuse a sense of respect to be accorded to the entire womanhood.”
After the ‘Kumari Puja’, ‘Sandhi Puja’ at the Math attracted a large number of devotees.
‘Sandhi Puja’ comprised the concluding 24 minutes of Ashtami and starting 24 minutes of Navami dates. During this period, all the essential rituals of the entire Durga Puja are performed in a curtailed form with great precision, added Swami Muktinathananda.
Many devotees also offered prayers during ‘Sandhi Puja’ at the Bengali Club in Hussainganj. The idol of Goddess Durga was worshipped with 108 earthen lamps, lotus flowers and ‘bilwa’ leaves.
Anand Bhattacharya, a devotee, said: “I have been attending the Puja for several years. This is one of the oldest places where Puja is organised.”
TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS
Traffic diversions will be imposed from Monday midnight till the immersion of idols concludes.
Additional SP (traffic) Poornendu Singh said the diversions will mainly be effective at Faizabad Road, Sitapur Road, Hazratganj crossing, Parivartan Chowk, Hanuman Setu, Nadwa trisection, from Maharana Pratap crossing to Hewett Road.
Traffic restrictions will also be imposed at Chowk, Shahmina crossing, Daliganj bridge, Qaiserbagh and Nirala Nagar-IT crossing-Lucknow University stretch.
IMMERSION SPOTS
The district administration has demarcated three points where nearly 100 idols will be immersed. Fifty-eight idols will be immersed at Jhulelal Park, 27 idols will be immersed at Laxman Mela ground and 12 at Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir. Many idols are expected to be immersed close to water bodies on the outskirts of Lucknow.
SECURITY
A total of 175 sub-inspectors, 1,070 constables, 317 head constables along with 128 women constables and four companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) will be deployed across the city to ensure law and order during Durga Puja.