BALURGHAT, Sept. 24 -- The Durga Puja of the Chowdhury family at Boydul has completed 115 years this year, yet its age-old tradition of firing guns during Sandhi Puja remains intact.

The Puja was first initiated in 1911 by late Prosanna Lal Chowdhury, a noted landlord of Boydul. Since then, the family descendants have continued the worship in their ancestral temple. The most distinctive ritual here is the firing of licensed guns during Sandhi Puja, between Ashtami and Navami.

According to the family's eldest member, Indira Chowdhury, the custom began during a time when Boydul and its surroundings were dense forests, often terrorised by dacoits. To safeguard the family, Prosanna Lal had obtained six licensed guns from the then government. To display their strength and deter miscreants, the Chowdhurys began firing in the air during Sandhi Puja, a practice that has endured for generations.

Apart from this, the Puja is also marked by Mangalchandi Gaan sung from Sasthi to Dashami. The family bears the entire expense from their 27 bighas of land and a large pond, refusing to collect donations from outsiders. On Ashtami, nearly 800 people are served special bhog.

The Puja attracts devotees not only from South Dinajpur but also from Malda, North Dinajpur and even other parts of India. The immersion ritual is equally unique: regardless of the day, the idol is carried to the family pond at dusk when a star appears in the sky.

"This Puja is not only our family's but an occasion for the entire area," said Anjan Chowdhury, one of this year's organisers.

Another member, Amil Chowdhury, added that the family follows strict rules-whoever takes responsibility for Durga Puja must also manage the year-round rituals including Kali, Shiva and Manasa pujas.

For villagers, the festival is a much-awaited event. "It is our biggest celebration," said local resident Ashok Mondal. Even as many traditional family pujas in the district fade into community festivals, the Chowdhurys of Boydul remain firm in preserving their 115-year-old legacy, keeping it strictly a family Puja.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.