Bhagalpur: While people across the nation await the 10-day rituals and celebrations of Durga Puja, traditional Bengalis in the ‘City of Bhadralok’ observe the festival for 18 days, beginning a week early with Bodhon Ghat rituals.This year, the rituals began on Sunday and will continue till Bijoya Dashami on Oct 20-21.The tradition at the Durga temple of Mahashaya Deorhi, a Bengali estate in Champanagar, Nathnagar block, dates back more than 400 years. Similar rituals are followed at Durga Bari, Kali Bari and Sarkar Bari according to Bengali customs.Sriram Ghosh, who was ‘kanungo’ (revenue officer) during the reign of King Akbar (Mughal Empire) and owner of Mahashaya Deorhi, started Durga Puja and Kali Puja at the temple on his premises. His descendants have since continued the tradition, beginning the festivities with Bodhon Ghat.Debashish Bannerjee, a devotee associated with the Puja committee, said “Bodhan” means awakening and symbolises invoking Goddess Durga and the start of Puja rituals.A procession with “dhol” and “dhaki” (unique Bengali drums) is taken from Mahashaya Deorhi to the Bengali Tola river ghat on the embankment of the Ganga. Holy water from river Ganga is filled in a sacred “kalash” (earthen pot) after rituals. The kalash is kept under the “bael” tree before being taken back to the temple, where puja and “aarti” are performed.Explaining the significance, Bannerjee, referring to mythological scriptures, said during Dakshinayana, the six-month period between the third week of June and the third week of Dec, all Gods and Goddesses are believed to go into rest mode, while Durga Puja is held. Devotees therefore perform Bodhon Ghat puja to awaken and invoke Goddess Durga.As per mythology, Bodhon was initially performed by Lord Ram to awaken Goddess Durga before worshipping her for blessings and victory over the ten-headed demon Ravana, added Bannerjee. The untimely awakening is also known as “Akal (early) Bodhon”.Dr Aurobindo Ghosh, president of the Mahashaya Taraknath Ghosh Trust, said a special ritual involves hurling cowrie shells into the air for devotees to grab.Trust secretary Mukta Ghosh, Deepchhanda Ghosh, Sharmishta Rakshit and others said cowrie shells are believed to symbolise Lord Dhan Kuber, attract prosperity and protect against negative energies.
