Political antagonism in West Bengal spills over into the spiritual realm during Durga Puja

Politicians from several opposing parties come together during Durga Puja for one reason. They strive to connect with the one goddess who rules over the specific day (or fortnight, as in the case of Goddess Durga), transcending divisional barriers. However, this seeming oneness.

It is clear that divinity has a competitive advantage, and one can see the effects of politics there.

competition that extends into the spiritual realm, particularly when it comes to politicians who do their own pujas.

Every year, Trinamool leader Kalyan Bandyopadhay holds one of the most significant pujas.

member of Parliament in the Kolkata neighborhood of Serampore, his home and district. People

flock to this specific pandal from the villages and districts, which is often recognized for its

majesty and grandeur.

I favor sticking to the deity’s customary presentation over overly tinkering with theme and

according to Bandyopadhay, who spoke to The Statesman, “form just to fit into a modern milieu for the sake of it.”

travelled to this ancient town on the river, fifty miles away, and was there for the utter beauty of this year’s puja.

on his invitation, far from the main city. Serampore, which was the only colonized place

From 1755 until 1845, Frederiksnagore, built by the Danish was the site of Bengal’s first

A new age of education in the nation was ushered in by colleges and universities.

Bandyopadhyay, who is the MP for this area, claims that Serampore’s educational

cultural heritage is distinctive. highlighting how outstanding the Durga Pujas are in this region

He bemoans the lack of practices that preserve the basic spirit of rites and worships.

“People tend to concentrate just on Kolkata’s pujas, without recognizing how magnificent

the neighborhood pujas are.

In fact, during his private puja, whose pandal covered the expansive RMS lawn of Serampore,

The towering statues of the larger-than-life were patterned from the Prem Dham of Brindaban.

Deities extend from the tent’s west corner to its east. People lined up to get a “darshan”

(Vision) spanned miles in all directions. “At the Durga Puja pandal in Kalyanda, the Thakurs (Goddesses) are

I don’t want to miss it, says a guy waiting in line, adding that it’s “always a big draw.”

At his personal puja, Bandyopadhay alone conducts the ceremonies. The politician posed as a priest in his

wears the customary white dhoti and banyan. On Ashtami night, the last and most important

Bandyopadhyay cried at the feet of the goddess Durga on the day of the Durga Puja, overtaken with devotion and passion.

He prayed to the Goddess and paid homage to her.

There is no stopping the tears of religious feeling when it comes to the power of the Devi (the Goddess Durga), and we have all experienced it in worship in our own unique ways, according to a politician.

It is obvious that the spirit of friendly political competition has an overwhelming force. speaking about

He said that a number of opposition politicians’ Durga Pujas had attracted well-known sportsmen and movie personalities.

They must use such tactics to gather attendees, but at our Puja, the draw is the strength of the

Devi.”

Conflicts around Durga Puja is another custom throughout the holiday season. During the British era

At that time, Raj and zamindars battled with one another to display the splendor of their respective

The Durga Puja.