When Durga Arrived..

When Durga Arrived..

I have been in CR Park for the past three years now. Chittaranjan park for those of you who might not be aware, is a slice of Bengal hidden in Delhi. Like many other parts of Delhi, its a settlement of displaced persons from the 1960s intially established as the East Pakistan Displaced Person’s Colony

I have disliked Bengalis for as long as I remember. They can be very unhygienic, unnecessarily opinionated, believe too much in their cultural supremacy and make no bones about it and think everyone else is a little beneath them. Much too the irony of this I have been here with two Bangla speaking flatmates, Bengali staff and a bangla neighbourhood for over three years now.

Every year during pujo, the entire Delhi NCR descends upon CR park. And even inside my colony there is a pandal set up in our neighbourhood park. Its a mad house.

I have always dreaded pujo.

I can’t move out, can’t find cabs, can’t order in, all because its so crowded. My parks for morning walk is inaccessible for nearly a month. Surprisingly though this time around I was looking forward to it. Ever since mid Sept the nip in the air had arrived. The soft smell of flowers hung in the air. It became cooler as the skies cleared up in the morning.

And then, Ma arrived.

I have never been religious rather, have been at the other end, nearly an atheist. Never prayed, never indulged in rituals but that has now changed. I am beginning to surrender to something bigger than me. I am not the boss of the world and having the gorgeous Durga Ma watching over me was oddly comforting. I went and bowed to her each day she was there. I revelled in the celebration. Hung out on the ledge of my balcony to see the lively crowds thronging the street right below my house. The whole environment of festivities lit me up inside.

On Dusshehra I had to be in Gurgaon. Just as I returned, I saw Ma boarded onto a truck as all the Bengalis played with sindoor as per tradition. I would miss you, I thought and shed a tear as I said goodbye. I felt like a child in her magnanimous presence.

Return soon Ma. I will wait for you this time around.