Durga Puja is celebrated in quite a few households in Chetla in South Kolkata. One such puja is of Auddy family which is being celebrated in their five arched thakurdalan from the late nineteenth century initiated by Rakhal Das Auddy.
The dalan has stucco decorations on the arches and at the front. The floor of the inner portion of the dalan where the idol is placed is still made of clay. Previously the idol is prepared in the thakurdalan but now after the kathamo puja is completed on Janmastami, the structure is send to the artisan’s studio where the idol is prepared. I came to know from the family that the after the immersion took place in the nearby Auddy ghat in Adi Ganga, the structure is picked up and retained by the family.
Like other households, the protima is of ekchala type but here one will come across the two sakhis – Jaya and Bijoya on both sides of the idol. The presiding deity of the family is Sridhar Jiu narayan sila which is brought into the dalan on Saptami after the installation of nabapatrika and is worshipped along with Maa Durga.
There are two jag pradip (one type of lamp) which remains lighted from Saptami till Dasami. The puja is held following Shakta rituals but there is no animal sacrifice; instead an ash gourd (chalkumro) made of coconut is prepared and placed on a clay pot with black gram (maskalai) and pouring of bright red liquid dye (alta) is sacrificed on Sandhi pujo. All the bhog which is offered to the goddess are given on earthen pot. Four types of naru made of coconut, sesame seeds, rice and poppy seeds are prepared and given to the goddess. There is no annabhog here; instead fruits, luchi, rabri, naru and sweets are offered. During Sandhi pujo, a naibidya of ten kilogram rice and sugar including sugar candy are given to Maa Durga. There is no kumari puja instead the ritual of dhuno porano by the female members of the family is practiced after Sandhi pujo is over.
Special thanks to Smt. Sipra Auddy
Date of posting: 22nd October, 2026.
