The Puja with a different rule

The Asian Age : 21st September 1998

The family puja of Kundus in KG Bose Sarani Beleghata is little known but it boasts of a rich heritage.

The puja was started nearly 130 years ago in a small village named Aruali now in Bangladesh.Tarachand Kundu a rich land owner introduced the puja which he believed will bring prosperity to the family.His decedents have carried on the tradition.

After the turbulent days of partition the family had to shift to Calcutta.They settled down at the eastern part of the city.Jatindralal Kundu the grand son of Tarachand Kundu initiated Durgotsav at their home in Calcutta.Nowadays the puja is held at Beleghata where the family resides.Rathindralal the younger brother of Jatindralal now the head of the family & the main organizer of the puja.

There is something special about the family idol which in old days was made by Haridas Pal.Since his death h is son Narayan Pal wears his father mantle.

The idol of Ganesh & Lakshmi stand on the right while Kartik & Saraswati stand on her left ! This is a reversal of the norm.Yhe family has it’s own explanation.The rites of the puja always begins from the right they claim.Since Ganesh is the god of siddhi or success he must be worshipped before anyone else.

“At Bangladesh our puja was a great affair & entire village was invited ‘ says Rathindra babu .People from other community particularly the muslims also shared the mahabhog with us.Those orthodox muslims who did not wish to eat at a Hindu household were sent the food in packet” he maintains.

For Rathindrababu the puja at Calcutta today is no match for the past.He regrets his son Rajiv will never know the charm of those days.