I have always awaited for the Puja, maybe it is something to do with the place of my residence. I live in the quaint little town of Jamshedpur. Kolkata is just four hours away and heavily influences the culture of this Steel City.

The population here is a mixed one but it holds enough sons and daughters of Bengal to make the Puja a special event. The city has caught the infectious enthusiasm of these blessed souls in celebrating Puja.

Being at home after two years, during the Puja, I witnessed at least one event on which inflation had not made an impact. I have always felt that here Puja is not just going through the various religious rituals but a way of celebrating life.
Even the weather supports the celebrations. October is the time when you begin to feel a chill in the morning air, yet it is not cold enough to make you uncomfortable. Neither is it too hot
to spoil things as you hop from one place to another in the city experiencing the Puja. There are many things in between like getting up early in the morning to listen to the Mahalya and saying a tearful farewell to the Goddess on Vijaydashmi or Bijoya which makes Puja what it is.

The conspicuous Puja sales are advertised at the most prominent places in shops and around the city. While crossing the street my eyes fell across a big banner announcing the buy one get four free from a reputed brand that told me Puja is fast approaching that the brand has
to sell its big ticket apparels on discount all the year round is an altogether different matter. Women throng the saree and jewellery shops. Men are not to be left behind. Their usual aversion to even the word shopping deserts them. During Puja I have often been surprised to see as many men as women if not more in the shops. If you walk into a shoe shop chances are that someone can throw a package at your head owing to the rush.

Another integral part of these celebrations are the Puja pandals and the fairs. The construction of these temporary structures starts well in advance. Each one vies with the other to dish out innovative sights to the crowds that throng the pandals. I remember seeing once a pandal made from just hay and other one which was made from bamboo only. Then there are the idols prepared by the artiste specialized in the art. The magnificent idols of Goddess scoring victory over evil Mahishasur stands towering above her devotees who come to offer their prayers. At places where puja is celebrated in a more Bengali style, idol of the goddess displays white as prominent colour. In Bengal the whole belief is that earth is maternal home to mother and she comes to visit it in these days when Puja is celebrated.

Amongst some of the most popular events that the Puja committees never fail to organize is
the dandiya. Though a hallmark of Gujarati traditions, this dance performed with dandiyas in hands have become synonymous with
Navratra.

Right from the local newspapers to the shops these events find several sponsors. They are a huge hit especially with the youngsters. To sum it up you can find these pandals having varied events to entice the crowd throughout the evenings. One cannot talk about Puja without the bhog offered to the goddess from the seventh day of the Puja. I think it is the only dish
offered to God in Hindu religion that uses salt.

It is nothing but your khichdi, a dish made from rice pulses and vegetables mixed together. But there is something almost magical in the taste of bhog. It tastes so different from the normal khichdi cooked especially on Saturdays at many homes in Bihar and Jharkhand. There is a genuine sadness in the air when at Dashmi or Bijoya the Goddess is given a fair well. It might be because the festivities suddenly come to an end and people have to return to their mundane life but no one can deny the feeling.

The pyrotechnics might have become more sophisticated and the fair more posh but the essence of Puja remains the same. Each locality still takes pride in the way they organize it and people still look forward to the Puja with the same enthusiasm.
Interestingly, the crowds who come for the fairs and indulge in everything from giant wheels to the food kiosks are not just the Hindus. A fair number of them are from other religions.

Our politicians can take a leaf out of their books. They come not to show their secularism but simply because everyone likes to enjoy themselves. As I said the Puja is not just about religious rituals but also about having fun and forgetting the mundane things of life for once.

Forgive Us Lord! Alone by myself, I often wonder Why does God love mankind so? With fresh green and beautiful trees that merrily sway in the breeze The frolicking rivers tumble by near the gorgeous mountains touching the sky.
With lively fish that swim and flowers that bloom. Our God blesses us all from the cradle to the tomb. From the palms of his hands he has carved us all The rich and the poor, the big
and the small With computers and cars, animals birds and stars Is his loving way to bless our day. But deep in my little heart I wonder ...
Lord why do we deserve this all? Man destroys your creations He hunts and he kills while Nations are gearing up nuclear warfare Spreading hatred and blood shed everywhere
But where is your love, Joy, Peace and care Forgive us Lord, I humbly pray.