First Durga Puja of CG enters into 93rd year

 

 

 

The first Durga Puja in Raipur, perhaps in the Chhattisgarh region, started by Bengali immigrants settled in the city, has entered its 93rd year and is being celebrated with its usual pomp and gaiety this year as well. Initiated by a few families who formed the Bengali Samiti, Raipur in 1933, the Puja has since become a must-visit venue for pandal-hopping Bengalis—both long-time residents and those who return to the city for work or family visits during festival. Interestingly, the Bengalis of Raipur first began celebrating Kali Puja on Kartika Amavasya (Diwali night) in 1929. Four years later, in 1933, 14 Bengali families came together to celebrate Durga Puja near Budha Talab, now known as Vivekananda Sarovar.

 

What began as a modest community initiative has today evolved into a grand cultural and religious event. On the occasion of Durga Puja, thousands of devotees from Raipur and nearby cities such as Bhilai and Bilaspur visit the pandal to seek blessings of Maa Durga. Following the immense success of the annual Durga Puja and Kali Puja, the Bengali Committee Raipur established its own Kali Bari in 1967. For many, the Puja also carries deeply personal memories. Geeta Roy Choudhary (80), who moved to Raipur in 1954, recalled the red-and-orange pandal of the 1960s at Bengali Kalibari, where she witnessed Durga Puja celebrations that helped her forge early friendships and connect with her Bengali identity.

 

Her father had migrated to Raipur for a government job after losing his home and belongings in East Bengal (now Bangladesh) during Partition. The Partition years saw many Bengali families from East Bengal settling in Raipur in the 1950s, particularly through employment in educational institutions, banks, and government departments. The Durga Puja of Bengali Samiti Kalibari became a cornerstone of their cultural and emotional integration into the city and the newly formed state. “From the 1920s, a small number of Bengali families lived in Raipur, mostly engaged in education and British departments. But after Partition in 1947, the community grew rapidly, adapting to a new physical landscape and rebuilding their lives,” explained Tanmay Chatterjee, President of Bengali Samiti Kalibari, Raipur. “Over the years, the Durga Puja here has created a special place in the hearts of people.” Adding to this, Prabir Sensharma, Coordinator of Bengali Samiti Kalibari Raipur, informed that this year the pandal is hosting various cultural events, with artists from different states performing as part of the celebrations.