Durga Puja in Two Worlds Arna Bar Peoria, Illinois Hi, my name is Aarna. I’m 11.5 years old and staying in Peoria, Illinois. I saw a few Durga Pujas in US. Last year I was in Kolkata during this time. I’m going to share my experience of Durga Puja celebrated in two places. Needless to say, I enjoyed Durga Pujas in US. Bengalis wait all year for this time. The Puja doesn’t strictly follow Maa Durga’s calendar; it is celebrated on a weekend close to Dashami. There’s not a big crowd, which leaves the atmosphere peaceful. Quiet praying and occasional dhak bajano set the Puja-Puja mood. Sweets and prasad are essential parts of the Puja here too. (I couldn’t live without those). People get a wardrobe full collection of sarees, salwars, kurtas and panjabis from Gariahaat. This is the perfect occasion to flash them around; quite literally. The Pujas are performed usually in temples. The scent of sweet incense and flowers hover around. Light coming from one lonely pradeep blinks gingerly. Soft chanting of hymns reverberates within the walls of the temple. All these factors bring a pure feeling, wiping out all negative emotions ... you just feel good! You can feel Maa Durga’s presence, her greatness comforting you. In 2019, I got to see my first ever full scale Kolkata Durga Puja. If I could use three words to describe it, these would beColorful Elegant Epic Yeah. That is true. Mahalaya to Panchami, I call these the pre Puja days. The kash phul were swaying gracefully in the cool autumn breeze underneath an insanely beautiful blue sky. Shopping malls were buzzing with last minute sales. Everyone is trying to finish their shopping spree because Maa Durga is almost at your Upahaar 2020 36
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