If there is a place where there are grandiose festive celebrations, idols larger than life, dance and music, then it must be India! But far far away from India, in the country of Germany, festive spirits are kept alive by the bunch of the Indian community present.Durga Puja – the biggest and grandest festival in Bengal - was brought to life this year like the past 26 years, by the Rhein-Main Bengali Cultural Association of Frankfurt at Saalbau Gutleut. A beautifully decorated idol of Goddess Durga along with her children Saraswati, Lakshmi, Ganesh and Kartik were placed on platform for worhip. The scale was miniscule when compared to that in India, particularly Bengal, nevertheless the effort put up was by any means Herculean which culminated in a spectacular show.
It was mix of crowds that the occasion presented, with not only Bengalees, but people from various Indian communities and also some Germans who participated. Men, women and children dressed in colourful traditional attire bowed before the Goddess to take her blessings. Everyone was invited to join in the celebrations of this autumn festival.
The first day of the Puja was MahaShashthi which began which the Shashthipuja followed by devotional songs invoking the Goddess Durga. The next three days were the main days of worship –MahaShaptami, MahaAshtami and MahaNavami. Each day began with the worship of the Goddess and then Pushpanjali (offering flowers to the deity). Every evening saw enchanting cultural programmes like classical and modern dance, music, plays etc. performed by the members or by troupes who came from India. Not to forget the delicious food that was served everyday cooked by the members themselves! The celebrations ended with the MahaDashami puja and the immersion of the idol with all the devotees praying to Maa Durga to pay her visit very soon next year.
Mesmerizing it was to see an Indian festival come to life miles away from India. The spirit of India is carried almost anywhere, where a few Indians get to meet, could we ever doubt that?
