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Mumbai jottings


BY Rebati Mohan Sinha, Mumbai


Like every year, this time around Durga puja is knocking at the doors of Mumbai city. In fact, it is a matter of days away from now. Although we are yet to see the cotton like autumn clouds above the city’s sky but of the rainy cloud which is still covering the entire Mumbai horizon, it is expected it will not recede in next forty eight hours.

Bishnupriya Manipuri/ Bengali Mumbaikar are getting ready for the year’s best celebration of Durga Puja. About a decade ago the Mumbai’s puja was celebrated in a humble way with three day’s of khichuree bhog. Now like Kolkata, the clubs and Associations of Mumbai are gearing up with decoration of puja mandops along with height-increase in Pratima`s kathama, year after year. And at the same time there is a trend now that clubs bring famous artists from Kolkata for crowd pulling.

The women folks are not lagging behind and they are thinking of buying matching sarees, like Tusor silk, Benarosi silk, and taater saree with ornaments, from vendors loitering at their door steps. They are from West Bengal. One thing I could see that these vendors have eagle-eye to locate a Bengali house easily where a postman can’t. Here in Mumbai children cannot enjoy the puja because they have unit exams during this period, still then Bengali/Bishnupriya Manipuri Mumbaikars are observing the puja with great fanfare.

They are least bothered about the terrorist attack, even the natural calamity shied away from these devotees. The energy level this time is quite high and they can even overcome any obstacle. Is it not a good thing that such energy is utilized for the welfare of society at large? Why should we spend such a huge amount of money for only five days? I know people will not agree. Then we could do one thing that there should not be any competition while spending money for entire celebration. We hear every year that so and so club’s budget is in crores and the height of the idol ….(has been increased).

Let us celebrate non competitive Durgutsav. Pray to maa Durge, She will bestow on us the good health and wealth. Happy Durga Puja to all.

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