Ya devi sarbabhuteshu shaktipupen sansthita...

Durga Pujo is here,well,almost here.And I thought it was a good time to go back to the old days,see how I've changed over the years...Durga Pujo isn't only a festival for us Bongs,it's a part of our life.No matter what social class you belong to,what financial condition you're in,what family problems you're facing...this is the time when we forget it all and enjoy like never before.When I was a kid,Durga Pujo meant getting pink frocks with matching headbands and visiting pandals with my parents.We almost always had a fight over what to eat and where to eat.My dad hated eating out(he still does).For him,it was a wastage of money.He hated roadside delicacies too because they were unhygienic.he didn't want me to have icecreams because they'd give me a cold.He didn't want me to have chocolates either because they weren't good for my teeth.So,as you see,we were left with almost no options.And my mom had a problem with everything I wore.The hemlines were too short,the colors were too bright,the fabrics were too sheer and I was too young to put on a little lipcolor and wear heels and so on.But still,when I finally went into the pandal and saw the idol,the 'dhaaki' playing the 'dhaak',people dancing with the 'dhunuchi',kids having fun with the fake pistols...all the fights just didn't matter.The emotion of the people never failed to touch me.I was amazed at the ability of the people to forget and forgive and celebrate as if nothing happened.When I was a little older,Pujo meant going to my uncle's place and pandal hopping with my cousins.Then,after a few more years,I started going out with my friends.Over the years,Pujo has changed its meaning for me.But I never stopped looking forward to it.I've had bad Pujos,when I was so depressed that I didn't get out of my place at all!But things came back to normal soon.This year's Pujo is a little weird.I've got a job and I reconciled with a long lost friend and I should be happy.But I'm far from happy! I've not finished my shopping yet,I've not made plans and I've finally realized that I don't have what it takes to crack CAT.My scores have marginally improved but my percentiles are nowhere near the cut off.That means everybody else is doing so much better than me and I don't stand a chance.I no more have Dance to escape from all problems.But I still haven't stopped hoping that everything will be allright once Goddess Durga is here.That's the thing about her-she IS hope.                              

Babubagan

Badamtala

Bharat Chakra

Jodhpur Park

Singhi Park

Tridhara Sangha

                                                                                                                          Anyway,since I won't be able to get pandal and idol pictures before Sunday,thought I'd share a few of my favorites from last year's Pujo.