Durga Puja is not celebrated as barowari pujas, but it is equally worshipped in households. That apart there are still a number of houses and temples in Kolkata where Maa Durga is worshipped round the year. Previously in October 2023 I have included 14 such places in Kolkata where the goddess is worshipped on a daily basis. In this post I shall include two more – one in Baghajatin and the other in Baghbazar.
Katyayani Mandir situated at K.M.C. Plot No. C-26 & C-26/1, Baghajatin, Kolkata – 92 is about 75 years old. I visited this temple twice – the first was during Basanti Puja in 2024 and this year during the time of Chaitra Navaratri. The photograph on the left was taken in 2024. I talked with a family member and came to know the original temple of the goddess was at Comilla in Bangladesh. The present temple at Baghajatin was established in 1950. Apart from daily worship, special puja is held during the time of Basanti and Durga Pujas. Here the goddess is worshipped following Shakta rituals. Animal sacrifice was held at one point of time though it has now been stopped altogether. The goddess is worshipped here as Maa Katyayani. Apart from Katyayani, Maa Manasa, Radha-Krishna, Shiva and other gods and goddesses are there. The goddess is made of astodhatu and is worshipped along with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartick and Ganesh.
The other house is in 73B, Baghbazar Street, Kolkata – 3 belonging to Ganesh Chandra Kha. According to family sources the puja was started around 1924. The Durga idol was installed on the auspicious day of Basanti Puja. Here the goddess is worshipped twice – one during Basanti Puja and the other during the time of Durga Puja.
Apart from both the pujas, Goddess Jagaddhatri is also worshipped. Earlier during the time of puja, the deity was taken to the ground floor in the dalan from thakurghar. But now the goddess is worshipped in thakurghar itself. On the day of Saptami, the silver ghat is bathed in the Ganges and with it, the Durga Puja is started. During the days of the puja Lakshmi is also worshipped along with Maa Durga. Kumari Puja is not held here; instead dhuno porano, a ritual seen in many bonedi houses, is an added attraction. Chalkumro (white gourd) is sacrificed on Nabami. Luchi, sweets prepared from coconut, different types of fruits are also offered to Maa Durga apart from naibidya. After the Dasami puja is over the water inside the ghat is emptied in the Ganges and fresh water is again filled. There is no biswarjan here as such as the goddess is worshipped round the year.
Date of posting: 31st March, 2025.
Blog of Kinjal Bose 