Durga Puja of Chakdighi Baganbati

Durga Puja is being celebrated in many bonedi households of West Bengal for centuries. Last year (2023) I paid a visit to Chakdighi Baganbati after visiting the Dasghara. Dasghara is in Dhaniakhali block of Hooghly district while Chakdighi located roughly a little more than seven kilometres from Dasghara is in Jamalpur block of Purba Barddhaman district.

Durga Puja is held in three places – Barobari, Baganbati and Manirambati. But due to shortage of time I went only to Baganbati. The Singh Roy of Chakdighi “came to Bengal as Dus Hazari Mansabdars under Raja Man Singh of Amer”. However, since 1868 the Baganbati Chakdighi Singh Roy are “Yaduvanshi Rajputs”. The Durga Puja was started in 1737 by Bhairav Singh. This year the puja will touch 288th year.

I parked my car at a place where several cars have already been parked. It’s past noon. The sky was overcast. I walked past a narrow way leading to the palatial mansion of Singh Roys of Baganbati.

I found many people there taking photographs. The grand thakurdalan has received a fresh coat of paint. Maa Durga of Chakdighi Baganbati is of traditional ekchala type; but the unique thing I noticed is the colour of the idol. It is like the colour of the stem of siuli flower, which blooms in autumn. Like other bonedi households, kathamo puja is held on the auspicious day of Rathayatra. I have been told that the same family has been preparing the idol for generations at the dalan. The basic structure remains the same. The puja is performed by the brahmins of Kannauj. Puja starts here after Mahalaya. It is Pratipad Adi Kalpa puja. Deepdaan is held on Mahastami while Kumari Puja on Nabami. The ritual of dhuno porano is not held here. Previously sacrifice was performed but since 1986, it was completely stopped. I came to know that apart from Durga Puja other pujas are held here following the age-old rituals. On the day of Dasami the protima is immersed in a pond about a kilometre away from Baganbati.

The Singh Roy family was responsible for many developmental works like the abolition of polygamy, the Widow Remarriage Act “in conjunction with a close friend of the family and a frequent guest at Baganbati” Pandit Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar. The Singh Roy family has done many philanthropic work in the locality. The family is well known for establishing “one of the three Anglo-Sanksrit free schools in Eastern India” along with hostel accommodation as early as 1856. Prominent visitors to Baganbati included Lord Curzon, Lord Charles Hardinge, W.E. Gladstone, Sir Steward Hogg, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, Tarasankar Bandopadhyay, Jamini Roy, Satyajit Ray to name a few. Satyajit Ray filmed “Ghare Baire” at Baganbati.

Going there: The best way to reach Chakdighi is by car. The distance from Kolkata to Chakdighi is roughly 75 kilometres via Durgapur Expressway. Alternately, one can also travel by train. Get down at Takareswar station and from there one can either hire a car or board a bus to reach Chakdighi Baganbati. One may also include Durga Puja of Biswas Bari of Dasghara and Durga Puja of Chaudhuri Bari, Amadpur along with Chakdighi Baganbati.

Special thanks to Shri Ambarish Singh Roy.

Date of posting: 5th October, 2024.