Durga Puja revelry is in its last lap, with the various puja committees putting in their best efforts in order to make it a grand success. Puja has lost its charm in most of the pandals as there is a competition amongst them; in due course they forget to bring in the essence of Puja which should be focused on evocation of the goddess as the nurturer and the deity with the power to bestow peace and prosperity everywhere.
The Dighalipukhuri Puja Committee, which seeks to revive the Puja at that location, wishes to bring in the lost culture and essence of Durga Puja. Dighalipukhuri is a significant place of the city due to the historical value attached to it. It is a man-made tank about half a mile long, with a portion of garden and pond enveloping an area of 17-18 bighas. Its historical significance lies in the fact that it was created and used by the Ahoms as their naval yard. Presently, due to the Gauhati High Court building, it enjoys its thumping presence in the city.
The puja at Dighalipukhuri is going to be a focal point for the city dwellers. The organizing team is energized as they would be hosting it after almost a decade. They could not get permission since 2009 as a result of which Dighalipukhuri wore a deserted look during the Durga Puja all these years. With this humble initiative from the team they hope to hold the Puja with a difference adding a different flavor to it. They plan to offer a different angle to the entire idea and concept of organizing Puja.
The working president, Tridib Borah said, “We intend to make it an eco-friendly puja by organizing sapling plantation drive and spreading the importance of plastic ban in the city. We intend to hold a painting and quiz competition for the children.”
The focal point about Dighalipukhuri Durga Puja is that the neighborhood is taking an active part in it. This Puja wishes to bring back the communal harmony that existed in Assam since eons of years. The present situation all over the country doesn’t extend a very conducive and happy atmosphere for the citizens to look forward to. Therefore, by bringing the Hindus and Muslims together under one roof, as is evident from the members of the organizing committee, it seems this team wants to make the city dwellers experience why Assam is still called the land of Azan Fakir and Sankaradeva. Working president Tridib Borah, general secretaries Khanindra Sikdar and Amitabh Phukan haven’t made any tall claims about making it a commercial success but their humble initiative itself shows that they don’t want to organize Durga Puja just for the sake of it.
The striking factor that shows their genuine effort came across when they expressed candidly that they might not be successful as there was lot of difficulty in getting permission; they could start real work only on September 4. But they are hopeful that it would be able to create a wave amongst the people by adding stuff that would make everyone realize what Assamese community is missing out on by neglecting the essence of Axomiya culture. It seems to be the need of the hour to bring all the communities together and this is one of the better occasions to attempt that.
Khanindra Sikdar expressed a genuine problem of Guwahati that no one knows or bothers about the next door neighbour. So, in organizing the Puja they also wish to shatter this wall that has been constructed between and among people belonging to the same place.
The Puja committee members are enthusiastic about organizing Puja here this time. MP, Guwahati Lok Sabha, Queen Oja is the chief patron, Chairman, ATDC, Jayanta Malla Baruah and Retd IPS Umesh Kumar are the other patrons. The driving force will be given by president Bimal Medhi, working president Tridib Borah, vice presidents Kabindra Ojah, Hemanta Sikdar, Fayak Azad and Nazim Ahmed, general secretaries Khanindra Sikdar, Amitabh Phukan, joint secretaries Kaushik Oja, Anupam Choudhury, Sajjad Zahir Hussain, organizing secretary Manorama Upadhyay, public secretaries Prasanta Medhi and Faruk Ashan, treasurer P Lal Sharma, with a host of executive members.
The Guwahati crowd can look forward to a different kind of puja here, which would perhaps make them feel rooted to their state, which needs its people to turn it into a heaven that it was once upon a time.