Dussehra was observed in a low-key way this year due to the devastation caused by cyclone Phailin and floods. In fact, the whole of the festive season seems to have been badly affected due to the twin calamity.
Dussehra is observed in different names and practices all over India and the Indian Diaspora across the globe. The festival is mainly steeped in the farming culture of the country and is based on the credo of virtue triumphing over vice. The virtue is represented by lord Ram, while vice is represented by demon king Ravan. In order to release Maa Sita from the demon king’s captivity, lord Ram had started his expedition from the Vijaya Dasami with a vast army of animals and in the end, had vanquished and killed the mighty Ravan.
The pre-winter period, when this festival is observed, is the harvesting period of new crops. The whole of India as well as the entire tropical Asia, where mainly three seasons like rain, winter and summer are distinctly felt, agriculture is the chief means of livelihood of the people. The festival is also a great occasion of get-together for the family members. Every member of the family comes home during the festival and spends time with the kin. The presiding deity of every village (Grama Devati) is worshiped on the occasion and then the family members get into lots of fun and frolic. Many finger-licking cuisines are prepared at home while the family members put on new dresses. They together enjoy eating, and merry making.
The village deity is worshipped because she is expected to protect the village from all sorts of dangers. The tribals of Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattishgarh and Madhya Pradesh also observe the festival and worship their village deities, which are generally found in the front of every village and hamlet. The very fear of the deity of every villager always removes the evil thoughts from his/her mind and fosters unity and brotherhood. Durga Puja in open pandal with artistic decorations first started in 1722 in Rajabazar area in the northern part of Kolkata city by Harinath Mukharjee. The then British administration was amazed to find the popularity of the festival and the strong religious feelings of the devotees. The British administration, which treaded with caution not to hurt the religious sentiment of the any community in the country, rather encouraged the festival. As a result, the festival grew more and more popular with participation of the people increasing and spread to the length and breadth of the Kolkata city. With a few years, it became a mass festival with lots of pomp and grandeur. This is a big festival of the Bengalis. The Bengalis, even outside the country also observe it with much religious fervour.
In Cuttack, which is the cultural nerve centre of the State, the Dussehra festival too was started first by the Bengalis domiciled in the town. The artists and manufacturers of idols were brought from Kolkata city to arrange the pandals and idols besides all the decorations. The Odias joined with the Bengalis in course of time and this started to lend the festival a mass appeal. First at Baxibazar and Binod Bihari areas, did the Bengalis start the Durga Puja. It is claimed that the Bengali families of Baxibazar and the members of Binapani club of Badhei Sahi first started this function in 1888. Soon, Cuttack was followed suit by the other towns and semi urban areas in the State. Baxibazar organizers first put up a permanent pandal, for which late Janakinath Babu had laid the foundation stone.
This year, the Dussehra was very simple. The smell of austerity and moderation was to be found everywhere. An estimated Rs 3.5 lakh was spent this year for observance of the festival. The writer had visited around 15 medhas in Cuttack city and 11 in Bhubaneswar. Cuttack is famous for Durga Puja in the State for last few centuries. A high-grade of filigree works of gold and silver is used for decoration of the medhas. It involves a lot of workmanship and talent.
From pollution point of view, there is little to doubt about the high potential of the festivities to spoil our earth, air, water and ecology. Every year, after the puja is over, heaps of garbage fill the streets and market areas. The light and colour used in the medhas, apart from the crackers and other explosives used during the procession revelry and Ravan Podi, create much air and sound pollution, while the mass immersion of idols and other garbage dumped into river bodies spoils the water and the river ecology. Different chemicals mix with the water bodies destroying the living habitats of aquatic creatures and birds.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist)