Gaya: The Durga Bari Samiti in Gaya is celebrating 95 years of organising Puja this year, preserving a longstanding Bengali cultural tradition despite a sharp decline in the community’s population in the district.“Established by pioneers of the local Bengali community, the Durga Bari Samiti has continued its annual celebrations for nearly a century. The festival, marked by traditional Bengali rituals, remains an important expression of the community’s cultural identity and religious heritage,” said Biswadeep Choudhury, the samiti’s media incharge.“Despite all odds, the samiti is determined to preserve the tradition and pass it on to younger generations. Durga Puja brings the community together and helps young people remain connected with their cultural roots. It also provides an opportunity for Bengali families to come together. People from all sections of society visit Durga Bari to seek the blessings of the goddess, with a large gathering of devotees, particularly on Ashtami,” Choudhury added.In a move to promote women’s empowerment, the samiti has formed an all-women committee to organise this year’s celebrations. Shukla Roy is the committee’s president, while Sushmita Bose has been appointed secretary. All other executive committee members are also women.“Gaya district once had more than 10,000 Bengali families, but their number has now declined to around 1,500. Bengali families once constituted a significant proportion of the population in several localities of Gaya town. Areas such as Bengali Bigha, Bengali Akhara and Bengali Ashram still reflect the community’s historical presence,” Choudhury said.
