Malda, Oct. 9 -- Traditional sweets from Bangladesh are offered as bhog to Goddess Durga, while handloom, tussar and Dhakeshwari sarees from across the border are presented to the deity. At Shashani village in Malda's Kaliachak Police Station area, these age-old rituals continue to define a unique Durga Puja that has survived political divisions and the heightened security at the India-Bangladesh border for 121 years.

The distinctive offerings arrive from Shibganj in Bangladesh's Chapainawabganj district through the passport route, keeping alive a tradition that dates back to undivided India. The Puja was started by Bholanath Chowdhury, a textile trader from Bangladesh, at Shibganj. In 1905, he shifted the celebration to Shashani in present-day Malda and began worshipping the Goddess in a humble thatched hut.

Over the decades, the modest shrine evolved into a community celebration involving residents of five to six neighbouring villages.

The Puja once drew devotees from both sides of the border. With the border fencing and restrictions on cross-border movement, those vibrant gatherings have become memories, and the scale of the celebration has diminished.

However, the organisers insist that the rituals and traditions remain unchanged. "From a thatched hut, the shrine has now become a permanent temple, but the appearance of the Goddess has not been altered," said Haradhan Rajak, one of the organisers.

He said the sweets offered as bhog and the sarees presented to the Goddess continue to come from Bangladesh. While these items were earlier carried across by Bangladeshi visitors, they are now brought through the passport route in accordance with the applicable rules.

For the local community, sustaining the Puja is also a collective responsibility. "Many people in this area are not financially well-off. The government grant helps us organise the Puja, while local residents voluntarily contribute whatever small amounts they can afford. Together, we manage the expenses," said Meghraj Singha, a member of the Puja committee.

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