Diwali '08 @ Mukherjees'

I am a Bengali and for most Bengalis, Diwali and Kali Puja are synonymous. A little trivia before I move on, Goddess Kali is a Hindu deity who is the manifestation of eternal power and symbolizes destruction as a prelude to creation. Having said this Kali Puja is big in eastern India.Animesh Mukherjee is my ‘best buddy’ since high school days at VMS, Joka. Every time after Diwali, Animesh used to enthusiastically share stories of the Kali Puja that they celebrate at his place with all his uncle and cousins. I used to be invited to his place for the Puja every year. However the opportunity had eluded me every time because of some reason or the other. Finally in October end 2008, I happened to be in Kolkata staying over my maternal uncle’s place in a place called Parnasree (Animesh’s house is also in Parnasree). By evening I get free enough to consider the option of paying my school ‘best buddy’ a visit. I call him up and say “Animesh, I am in Parnasree, you mind if I swing by your place?” Pleasantly surprised Animesh says “I am with all my relatives preparing for the Kali Puja tonight, but you can come by, no problem”. There was no second thought, giving a damn about the social etiquette of having an invite, I literally was a gate crusher to the Mukherjees’ Puja celebration.Animesh’s grand-father used to perform Kali-puja at his place in his prime days, after him the tradition has been carried forward by Animesh’s father and his seven brothers. Every year the brothers along with their families get together, do the marketing, prepare the sweet-meats, purchase the idol and procure the items for the vesper worship of Goddess Kali.

The day of the puja is the best demonstration of coordinated, cohesive team-work. This year Animesh’s dad did the cooking – ‘khichdi’, ‘paachan’, ‘sabji’, fries, chutney and kheer. One of his uncles did the fruits, decoration and other miscellaneous activities. Animesh’s eldest uncle did the actual vesper worship of the goddess – reciting the Sanskrit hymns and performing the ‘yagna’, while the other uncle was the EQ (entertainment quotient) of the evening, looking after the guests and other invites of the day.Not less than fifty member strong family, all united under the roof with the common goal of having fun - peels of laughter, kids running around and bumping into the grown-ups with innocent demands, youngsters gossiping away on the latest blockbusters watched, aunts sitting in groups scrutinizing every scandal of the locality – all in all, an environment teeming with energy and commotion. The vesper worship culminated at 4:00 am, followed by ‘anjali’ and ‘shanti-jal’. Tonight I would be going back for attending the ‘bisarjan’, will update you folks with the events as they unfold!