Pujo in 20 22

After 2 years we visited a Pandal of Durga Puja and also gave Anjali. While I did my pranam & turned back I found my wife rooted to the place almost in a meditative state. Later she explained that this was a place called Durga Bari in Bani Park, Jaipur where she had first come in tiny frocks and pony tails and played around with her friends innocently without actually fathoming the significance. Seeing the kids zig-zagging in the pandal reminded her of her childhood. 

None of us are deeply religious, in one of those debates I had asked my younger daughter - Does she believe in God ? No, she replied and she specified that she does not believe in idol worship but she does believe in some higher power and celebrates Pujo or other festivals because of the shared love and sense of community.

Looking around as I was reflecting on these thoughts I found an extremely frail women holding crutches and waiting to give anjali, A mother & a family posing along with the Durga idol to take photos, youngsters busy with their phone and many families lining up for having spicy bong food in the multiple stalls which is generally put up in any pujo.

In Kolkata I read about a special place and provision made for cancer patients & a replica of the twin tower of Malaysia created as a pandal. I am sure there are many such pandals where the karigars & decorators start work almost 1 month back to create these innovative pandals. People will buy jewellery, clothes and cars - A per today’s paper the online companies have done a business of Rs. 3.5 billion in their first wave of sales. 

As I was leaving the pandal I was trying to answer the question why religion existed or exists in today's world and the relevance of it. The celebration has been taken over by marketing hence promoting consumption. There is actually no sense of community and feeling of brotherhood (neighbourhood) because except for a core group of maybe 25 - 50 families, it is more to see the decoration and enjoy the food & have fun. So, again driving consumption.

The true believers don’t need the razzmatazz of the pandal, they are like the old lady whom I saw who is probably disconnected with the rest of the world and this is the only connection left in the world.