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Thursday, October 1, 2009

Shobho Vijayadashmi and Reminiscence Of Durga Pujo

Away from home, I was kind of feeling very home-sick specially Durga pujo was near.Luckily this time Pujo schedule was conciding with weekend(good for hubby and even good for us) ,so no more asking him to arrange some days off ,although over these years I have become quite habitual of seeing him working from home despite him, taking pre-planned leave during one of Pujo days…….
On Saturady ,we went to Wembley Durga Pujo.This Pujo ,I had heard is orgainised by a family( that includes an extended family of friends).


Nirmal Mukherji and his family have been organising this Durga Pujo for the last 30 years now,this year it celebrated it’s 31 st year .
Hubby called at one of the numbers provided for contacts ,asking about the details for the venue and directions and response was so prompt.



Aapniki dhake’er awaj shunte Parche na, bas chole ashon” meaning ,are you not listening to dhak/drum-beats , just hop in now”
That was just so simple and we came to the venue getting off from a route bus 79 from the Alperton tube station, walked 10 mints approx on London Road HA9 ,and soon we were in Denise Jackson Centre near Wembley Stadium.



The moment we enterd the centre,I can feel the barir Pujo atmoshpere there…..the crowd and the homely ambience ,there was a sense of familiarity despite we were coming there for the first time.
Women folks cutting and chopping vegetables in hurry , knives have taken place for Bonti,but the spirit remains the same,that reminded about how my ma,and kakimaas,jethimaas used to gather and talk endlessly while cutting and chopping the vegetables and fruits for bhog and phol prasad respectively, and our very own kaku, jethu’s would gather round the cooking area on ashtami /nabami to cook bhog for the entire community and their long adda sessions.

Meanwhile we(children ,girls specially) would be strictly told to gather dobbu( sacred grass) and flowers from neighbouring homes……….ah! things of the past remains so fresh n alive somewhere in our hearts………..
After the Pujo ,we offered pushpanjali , my Lil one also joined us in offering pushpanjali….
We waited patiently there for our turn of Bhog in a long queue.
While me and hubby caught up with little chit-chat ,our daughter started palying around with other little ones there.After the long wait ,our turn came and the wait was worth it ….Bhog Included ghee bhaat, Cholar dal,aloo phulkopir torkari ,chatney ,mishti and phol prasad.


That was just a wonderful experience and what more can I ask for.This gave me immense satisfaction as somehow I was able to feel the warmth of home there.


There was a sense of belonging despite unfamiliar faces there, a sense of achievement for everybody there,despite living in London and still carrying out the legacy of Puja with such fervor.
I was now leaving for my home feeling so contented ,a heart full of good memories of a barir Pujo in a foreign land.
And a sense of pride for our culture ,that we Probashi Bengali carry within us , what our fore-fathers tried to incorporate within us ,our culture and tradition and the sense of connecting to our roots.


I am leaving you with some of the snaps below.
Image Courtesy Shomeek Mukherji.





















Wishing Everybody Shobho Vijayadashmi

17 comments:

  1. Looks like you still had a wonderful celebration even far away from home.

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  2. Good you found such a beautiful venue to celebrate Bijoya. Amazing that one group of family and frineds have been organizing this for over 30 years!

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  3. Ki shundor bari'r pujo. Amazing na, bideshe theke ki sundor family ar friends mile eto boro pujo korchen

    Sondhi Pujo'r 108 ta prodip dekhlam mone holo. Tomrao khub enjoy korecho jene bhalo laglo. Ami bhabtam London e anek Bangali, tai Pujo o anek hoy

    Shubho Bijoya'r Priti o Shubhechcha tomade shobaike ar tomar meyer jonyo anek bhalobasha

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  4. Thank you didi for the vivid discription of the event.. Wish you a very happy and prosperous vijayadashmi.
    hugs jyoti.

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  5. First off, Shubho Bijoya....you're luck in that you have some Bongs in London, but here, in Japan, that's too much to expect...I did have a lonely Pujo, spent just in calling up my parents...But you snaps made me think of home, they are so nice 'n homely...I wish you 'n your folks all the very best this ensuing festive season, and a truckload of thnx for the great pix.....

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  6. Happy,
    yeah That was so good ..I am glad we went there :)...

    Vani,
    yeah, and they still manage to do it and with great passion :)...Dushera Greetings to you too and love to lil M..

    Sandeepa,
    shotti eyi rokom ami expect kori ni je amaar eyi khane giye eto bhalo lagbe je ami blog e likhe felbo...
    LOndon E onek Pujo hoye ...mone hoye gota 6-7 to nischoyi ..Pandal Hop korar shokti chilo na ..tar opor eyi khane giye mone holo je okhane hi bosay time spend kori ...
    Thanks for wishes ..amar shubecha roilo tumader jonno ..aar bachader(Big S and Lil A) Jonno Khob gola joriye ador:)...thanks for stoping...


    Jyoti
    Dusehera Greetings To you and your loved ones ...big hug to you :)...

    Amarnath,
    good at least you called back home ..your parents must be missing you like anything these days..tommorrow is lokhi pujo ...and then kali pujo ..sab ek sathe aar tumi barite neyi ..i can understand how your parents are feeling now..
    I am glad you liked the pics and it reminded you of your home,thats great :)...
    bhabho to some 10 years ago when the internet boom was no where, people must have difficult time spending specially during these festive season ..both back home and in here..thanks for stoping here...

    Thank you all , wish you all enjoy and have fun during this festive season
    hugs and smiles

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  7. Ki shundor pujo Jaya ... snaps theke jaani jaache na bideshe bole! Good to know you enjoyed. :-) Shubho Bijoyar onek onek shubheccha! :-)

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  8. So Jaya, though you missed the Puja at home, I hope you had a nice time during this weekend :). 30 bachor dhore Mukherjee family je bideshe thekeo pujo korchen, setar janne onader ke anek bahoba dewa uchit. Amar suneo khub bhalo lagche. Barir pujor majai alda, eto ananda r kichutei hote pare na.

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  9. Loved the pictures Jaya, barir pujo'r moja ii aalada. Aami jodio konodin barir durga pujo dekhini kintu chhoto khato pujo jaa hoto, taatei aamader bachhader aito aanondo hoto, mone podle khoob miss kori. Aami aar chhoto shob bachhara mile bhor shokaale durba tule aantaam, ei chhoto chhoto kaaje je koto moja petaam, ekhono mone pode...
    thanks for sharing these, khoob bhalo laglo.

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  10. Sharmila,
    yeah we really liked going there ..tumaar jonne roilo onek shubecha ar priti..

    Sudeshna,
    ami tai bhabhchilaam ...ar eyi jonne eyi post ta likhe felaam...
    tumader O barir Pujo te onek anondo hoye tai na :)...

    Joyeeta,
    choto belakar onek choto-2 kotha mone hoye ..thakuma amader ke shiuli gacher tolay pora shiuli phol tule maala ganth-te r dobbu tolte boltein ..specially during Pujar samay ..seyi smell ar ekta shokaal belakar ki shundor mishti hawa ..shob kicho koto nostalgic lage:)...

    thanks for coming by all
    hugs and smiles

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  11. Shubho bijoya...all the way from Melbourne (Australia)... was researching probashi Bengali while writing a similar Durga-pujo-away-from-home post and came across your blog. I'm glad you had a good pujo. After spending last year's pujo alone, I went to the Melbourne-version of the pujo here. :)

    And for your pleasure, check out this youtube video of the dhak...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynbf5kVU06U&feature=player_embedded

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  12. Ohh taai toh Jaya...shiuli fuler kotha bhulei gechhilaam, shei gondho toh moner bhetore genthe royechhe taai naa!! Shoroter gondho bheeshon mishti..

    Shiuli fuler gaacher neechhe fuler ekta carpet moton hoye jeto, aar jhora ful guli tule maala gaanthtaam boshe!! :-)

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  13. wishing u a happy festival too.

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  14. Hi, loved your blog..you captured just the feeling we "Prabashi"s feel during durga pujo.

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  15. Eve,
    warm welcome here....and it's good you enjoyed Pujo in Melbourne :)...and will checkout the video link soon...

    J,
    seyi to sharato'er bhor balay,mishti hawa ar shiuli gacher tolay phol tola ..koto shob nostalgic hoye jaye..miss those days:(...

    Neema,
    Thanks dear for coming...

    Sumanam,
    hi there and warm welcome...will check soon your blog ...i am glad you liked reading this post...

    hugs and smiles

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  16. Wishing you a belated shubho bijaya....nice reading your experiences...I just can feel the moments and really wish to be part of this grand affair along with the friends and family.

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  17. I should say..the poja this year also 2012 was very good..and even the bhog khichudi was same taste as from motherland..
    Jai Durga..

    -Asit Harikeshab Mukherjee
    UK

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