Lucknow’s Aliganj Puja steeped in tradition of 44 years

An idol with Sholar Daker Saaj (traditional white ornamentation and decoration of Goddess Durga) made using the shola plant, with the Goddess sporting a ‘topor mukut’ (conical headgear) will be part of the Durga puja organized at Chandrashekhar Azad Park in Aliganj.

The idol is made by a Varanasi-based sculptor Abhijeet Biswas. It is made using five types of clays- one from the bank of river Ganga, which is considered holy as per Hinduism, clay from a cremation ground symbolizing the cycle of life and death, clay from beneath a Tulsi plant, representing purity and devotion, clay from a cowshed as cows are considered holy in Hindu culture, and clay from a temple of Goddess which symbolizes divinity, said the media and communications secretary of the puja committee, Tuhin Banerjee.

“The idol is made in Aadi Bangla style which is the ancient and authentic Bengali form of idol-making. In this form, the face of goddess Durga has a distinctive style of eye design that resembles a neem leaf, and it symbolizes the divine and intense gaze of the Goddess,” said Banerjee.

He also said that the use of these clays in the idol-making process ensures that the statue is not just a representation of the Goddess but also holds sacred energy that the devotees can connect with during the festival.

The pandal was established by surgeon Dr Subroto Bhattacharya and his three acquaintances, Bhasker Bose, Ujjawal Banerjee and Atanu Mukherjee in 1980 and it is completing 44 years of establishment this year.

“This year the committee is paying homage to our founder member Bhasker Bose who passed away earlier this year. He continued to be an active member of the committee,” Banerjee added.

The puja will be carried out by the first nephew of Sarada maa, wife of Ramakrishna Paramhansa.