After low-key celebrations for the past two years, Bengal Association in T Nagar is celebrating Durga puja in a grand manner. Ahead of the Navami celebrations on October 4, Biplob Bhakta, secretary of The Bengal Association, tells DT Next, “This year is special for us in many ways. It’s the 89th year of Durga puja celebrations in Chennai. Every year, we come up with some unique ways to celebrate the festival. This year, we collaborated with DakshinaChitra for a four-day Dussehra festival with artisans and performances from West Bengal. The event got over on October 3. On October 4, we are hosting Chau dance and Baul music performances at our association premises in T Nagar from 3 pm onwards. Chau dance is a renowned tribal martial dance that originated in the Purulia district in West Bengal. Baul music represents a particular type of traditional Bengali folk song, carrying influences from Hindu bhakti movements and Sufi songs.

“There are a lot of Bengali students living in the city. By showcasing our traditional dance and music, they will get to know more about our culture and tradition. That said, the next two day’s events are going to be a visual treat for not just Bengalis but for people from other communities as well.”

What’s more exciting for Bengalis is that recently UNESCO has included the famed Durga puja in its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list (ICH). “This recognition is really huge. Bengalis all over the world are happy about this. This year, we have got a huge Durga maa idol at our pandal,” he adds.

Soumya Guha Thakurta, a member of the Bengal Association, is excited about this year’s celebrations. “Last two years we had some restrictions because of the pandemic. This year, it feels good to see more people visiting our pandal and offering prayers. We are having anna danam and other cultural programmes at the association premises. Also, our lucky draw is entering the 50th year,” says Soumya.