Durga Puja for the Bengalis across the world, a celebration of victory of good over evil is also a festival where power is preserved. This is one of the major festivals of Bengal is filled with the colours of devotional zeal, mythological legends, detailed rituals, decorative pandals and magnificent idols of the divine Mother Goddess along with her children. Bengalis across the world spread the festive bliss amongst their knowns and relatives during this season. This is the time to unite themselves and rejoice to their heart’s content. Therefore, when a fellow Bengali is asked, “What is so special about Durga Puja?” he/she will first have a good laughter and then will ask you back “Are you an alien? Ask me – what is NOT so special about Durga Puja?” Yes! So scintillating and exciting those four days are! An atmosphere of thrill and fanfare is deeply felt with this festivity. And Bengalis across the world feel this festival to be a wonderful occasion to re unite with their friends and families in various ways. The Puja fever grips every Bengali’s heart in the city irrespective of age, caste, class and gender. With incomprehensible emotions of togetherness the Bengalis welcome Goddess Durga with her children, along with the mighty demon Mahisasura.
This write up will however, shed light on the Renaissance Period of Bengal. The Renaissance period of Bengal or simply Bengal renaissance was a cultural, social, intellectual and artistic movement of Bengalis society. This movement took place in the nineteenth to twentieth century when India was under the British rule. The undivided Indian Calcutta, earlier known as “City of Palaces” was also known for its “Babu Culture”. This culture was a mixture of English Liberalism, European fin de siecle decadence, Mughal conservatism, and indigenous revivalism. This phase of zamindari system, at the beginning of Bengali Renaissance, was given much credit for cultural, architectural, educational, economical development and urbanization of Bengal. It however took the “Babu Culture” of the time forward.
The luxurious lifestyle of the babus challenged the orthodox conventional society of the time. They were believed to learn drinking in their mother’s womb and were brought up by servants. They were not allowed to enter the “Andar Mahal”s of palaces during their teen ages or keep “kepts” in their youths, which was a greater part of their culture. Hence, it was believed that the zamindars of rural Bengal became residents of Calcutta to enjoy the pleasures of city life. They delighted themselves with “Mujra”, “Mehfil” and “Baiji Gaan” as the largest forms of entertainment almost every day. They also engaged themselves into “wine and women”. Since they were great patrons of good music, besides wine and women, they also had different classical songs to entertain them. The babus adorned these baijis with expensive Bengali Silk sarees and gold ornaments. The wives of the babus sometimes played very big roles in their lives because these “Babus” had a tender heart always seeking love. So they respected their wives. These wives carried the status of a “Sati” and the “Babus” never compared their wives with the “baijis” or “kepts”.

Though drinking, mujras, cock fight and pegion races were popular culture amongst them, however, they updated themselves with time and influence of the British East Indian Company. They replaced carriages and palanquins, churuts or cigars in place of hukkas and imported perfumes.
An interesting fact of this culture was their participation in big festivals like the Durga Puja, Diwali and Holi. This was done mostly to show off their wealth. And the first Durga Puja in Bengal was started by the zamindar of Dinajpur and Malda. Celebrations grew with time and these “Babus” constantly kept competing with one another to organize the most impressive fairs, decorations and entertainment for the officers of the East India Company and their near and dear ones. And these festivities especially centered around music, dance, drama and luxurious feasts, that continued for the rest of the month.
Durga Puja being the oldest cultural festivals of Bengali royal families, “It became like an old saying in the 19th century Kolkata that Ma Durga on her four days sojourn from her heavenly adobe first reached Sib Krisna Daw’s house at Jorashanko. She put on her jewellery there. Then the goddess went to the house of Abhay Charan Mitra to have her ‘Bhog’. Finally, in the evening, she reached Sovabazar Rajbari where elaborate arrangements were made to receive Her. Facts are also corroborated in the contemporary writings,” said P Daw, a descendent of the family. The famous Daw family ornamented the Goddess with ruby, pearl and diamonds specially brought from Paris and Germany. They also adorned the Devi with a material called “tabak”. “Tabak” is a material made out of brass and copper. This gave a massive effect to the celebration. Due to its gorgeous effect, it immediately became the talk of the town and pulled up endless spectators. However, the Mother Goddess of Thakur bari was decorated only with solid gold ornaments, which was not as gorgeous as the decoration of Daw family.
The zamindari systems were abolished after independence. The cultural values of Bonedi – Bari Durga Puja in Bengal still prevails as the royal families till date performed Durga Puja with dedication maintaining all the rituals and customs of the festival.
Today, Durga Puja in every pocket of the city of Kolkata is truly an aesthetic treat! Signature style music flows through the air. The aroma different types of sweets tickle the taste buds of sweet lover Bengalis in the country. And of course, the traditionally dressed women are a delight to the eyes during this season. Yes, Durga Puja gives the Bengalis enough opportunity to spruce up their traditional style.
Women elegantly drape themselves in traditional Bengali silk sarees or cotton sarees for the celebration. The quintessential white with red border sarees is extremely common amongst Bengali women. However, colours of these traditional Bengali Tant sarees are just not limited to white only. The women in the younger generation are spoilt for the choice of colours from green to gold.
Hence, whether the Bengali silk sheen or elegant cotton fabric, women should pick up sarees for traditionalizing themselves by draping them in the Bengali way!
Make this Durga puja special with the rare and traditional collection of sarees from the brand of Banglar Silk!

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