GLIMPSES OF THE DURGA PUJA
The Durga Puja Idol of the year 1950
Kalibabur Bari's Durga Puja at Janai is one of the oldest pujas in West Bengal. The specialty of the puja can be mentioned as Aparajita puja and Beranjali on the day of Dashami.
Aparajita puja:
Aparajita Puja rituals are performed by priests. As the name indicates the rituals glorify the invincible nature of the Mother Goddess. It is also a sort of thanksgiving to her for her victory over Adharma.
Aparajita Puja is performed on the last day of the Durga Puja. It is observed on the Dasami day in the Ashwin month. The puja is performed before biding farewell to Goddess Durga. After the puja, the murti of Goddess Durga is taken to a river or lake or sea and immersed.
Beranjali:
Beranjali is one of the special offerings that is made to the Devi Durga on the day of Bijoya-Dashami. Here all the members of the family gathers together and offering their final prayer to the Goddess by rotating around the idol three times in a full group making a circle. The family members stands in the descending order according to the age.
This puja of a renowned aristocratic zamindar family formerly started at the reign of East India Company. The former zamindar Ishwar Kaliprasad Mukhopadhyay who initiated the puja was the Diwan of East India Company. From that time till today the puja is continuing its grandeur and pomp.