Newz Desk, Durgapur: Durga Puja has grown into a grand spectacle with pandal inaugurations, celebrity visits, and competitions for the “best puja”. Amid this fanfare, a quiet but meaningful effort is underway to preserve the essence of the festival rooted in tradition. From September, the Sovabazar Rajbari in Kolkata will open its doors to train devotees and aspiring priests to perform the rituals of Durga Puja with precision.
From September 3 to 11, participants will be taught the complete set of Durga Puja ceremonies — from bathing the Nabapatrika to conducting the sandhi puja, chanting the chandi paat, and preparing for the yagya. Each session, held daily from 2 pm to 5 pm, will include classroom instruction with live demonstrations.
On September 7, for instance, trainees will get hands-on guidance in performing the kolabou snan and other essential rites. The sessions are led by experts, including professor of ancestral studies Dr Jayant Kushari, who emphasises that such training not only allows devotees to perform puja themselves but also helps them identify and correct possible mistakes of a priest.
The initiative has drawn eminent personalities: Swami Jnanalokananda Ji of Ramkrishna Ashram, Swami Shastrajnananda Ji of Narendrapur Ramkrishna Mission, music director Upali Chattapadhay, author Vinayak Bandopadhay, industrialist Pranab Chandra, and professor Sulagna Chattapadhay were present at the inauguration. Interestingly, the last three on the list have themselves undergone the course.
Beyond the rituals, the programme will include discussions on the scriptural and scientific significance of the ceremonies, along with examinations to test participants’ learning. The course will also include lifestyle guidance, like dietary rules and daily routines, to be followed during the puja days.
The Durga courtyard of Sovabazar Rajbari is where the entire course will be conducted. After completion of the course, gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the participants. With only 75 seats available and registrations nearly full, the initiative emphasises the growing desire to reconnect with the festival’s spiritual core.