At Hinoo, the festival of Durga Puja has always remained a homely affair especially for Bengali community that set up the Hinoo Durga Puja Committee in 1913, dignifying one of the oldest groups of Ranchi celebrating this grand Puja.
“Right from Mahalaya (the beginning of Navratri), be it young or old we gear up for the preparations of our Hinoo Durga Puja. Afterall, it is the only time of year when family members unite to rejoice the festive mood,” said Sikta Choudhary, a senior member of the committee.
Dating the history of this committee’s establishment, members say that it was the initiative of few Accountant General (AG) office staffs running a ‘Friends Union Club’ since 1912. “Hinoo residents had to go all the way to Doranda for offering Durga Puja. That was a trouble so a separate committee by these club people was formed after AG granting a piece of land exclusively for Durga puja within our native colony.” said Madhusudan Mukherjee, Joint Secretary of this Committee.
Prior to 1980, the puja was done under a tin shed which was later shifted to a huge cemented hall here with rooms behind the hall for bhog preparation. Senior citizens of this locality also say that those days the puja area was covered by AG office’s H and C type quarters. “Employees and their families staying at these quarters are the pillars of maintaining the puja religiously. The pandal was decorated by the boys of these families then. Now, the same decoration is done by tent house people due to busy life of all the members,” said 82 year old Aarti Mukherjee, one of the oldest member of this committee.
On the other side, Debjani, a resident of Doranda who had been coming here for last 30 years said, “The entire holy customs like conducting the puja, bhog distribution and cultural programmes from Shosti (sixth day of Navratri) to Dashami (tenth day of Navratri) are managed by male and female members from all the age genres. It is worth watching.”
Idols of Maa Durga and her family members including Maa Saraswati, Maa lakshmi, Vishwakarma, lord Ganesha and the demon Mahishasur killed by Maa Durga are made in Ekchala (Single Frame) at this hall premises. Adding more about this idol making Aarti said, “Artist Annada from Purulia used to make the Ekchala idols before four-five months of puja till 1980’s. Thereafter, idols were made by Kolkata’s artisans Jogesh Pal. Since 1993, Jagadish Pal from Kolkata itself is carrying out the idol making tradition.”
Dhaaki walas from Purulia playing the Dhaaki add to the charming musical ambience of this festival.
Narrating about the cultural history of this Durga Puja, 60 year old Dolly Ganguly who was born here and is devoted to the puja arrangements since childhood said, “From 1950-70’s we girls used to rehearse for drama before one month of Durga Puja. The drama practice joy was doubled when our elder colony brothers working outside Jharkhand used to reach home on Shosti or Saptami (seventh day of Navratri) and they too would brainstorm for on the spot drama presentations. late Utpal Kumar Chaudhury, a retired Border Security Force Officer later heading the committee from 2005-2008 is one of those brother whom we can never forget.”
Eradicating all sorts of societal evils, the committee has always given a special place to widows. Dolly said, “Earlier, all the members would bring utensils for taking the bhog but as time passed by we began the distribution in bamboo baskets. Special bhog is made for the widows as well.”
Today, the Committee is known across the state capital for maintaining the Bengali culture as it used to be with certain essential changes. last year, the committee marked a century and considering the huge amount spent in this century celebration, the puja will be organized in a budget of Rs 25 lakhs this year.