Kichu Bonedi Barir Pujo, 2013

It is difficult to write about the Durga pujo celebrations in the bonedi or traditional houses of (North) Calcutta in a radically original manner. Much has already been written about these pujos, and though not as publicized as they deserve to be, these houses are being slowly but surely reinstated on the average Bengali's pujo parikrama route; the state government's pujo packages include a bonedi bari trail which is a good enough, if not wholly adequate, introduction.

There is an enormous amount of information available on the internet on the traditional barir pujos of North Kolkata and I found a blog by a fellow enthusiast to be particularly helpful in compiling a list of sorts (http://amitabhagupta.wordpress.com/2013/10/08/durga-puja-of-bonedi-families-at-kolkata/). However, what seemed missing was a route map or a trail, and it is this which I hope to give some shape to in this post. I am not completely aware of the different rituals or the various nuances in the celebrations in each of the houses, and sufficient material is already available on the net. This post is meant primarily to generate some interest in this particular facet of pujo, and to enthuse our friends into paying these lovely old houses a visit in the years to come.

Sovabajar Rajbari 

I must warn the reader that the post is necessarily incomplete because rain and lack of time played spoilsports in what would otherwise have been a list which even the most exacting bonedi bari enthusiast would have been proud of. We started out with the comforting familiarity of Sovabajar Rajbari (both boro and choto), and moved on to three paribarik pujos in Darjipara, each having attained the age of about 150 years which seems to signify vintage as far as bonedi barir pujos are concerned. The Dawn family pujo on Joy Mitra Street, the Mullick barir pujo next to Mitra Cafe, and the Mitra barir pujo on Nilmoni Mitra Street were the three points of a rectangle which was completed by Chatu Babu Latu Babu'r pujo on Beadon Street.

Khelat Bhavan, Pathuriaghata

Walking down Central Avenue and taking a right to enter Kali Krishna Tagore Road, we visited the pujos of the two branches of the Dawn family of Jorasanko (one being that of Narasimha Dawn, founder of the landmark "N. C. Dawn Gun-Makers" in BBD Bag); located about a hundred yards across each other, these houses are less feted than, say, the Rajbari. The Jorasanko area was completed by a very wet hop, skip and jump across Rabindra Sarani to the Pathuriaghata Ghosh family's pujo held at Khelat Bhavan, and to the Hatkhola Dutta barir pujo on Nimtolla Ghat Street. A fellow tramp, grudgingly escorted us to the absolutely lovely Saha barir pujo at Maniktolla (a must-visit, and right across the monstrosity that is the Chaltabagan Lohapatty pujo) and Laha barir pujo at Thanthania. The said fellow tramp had to be prodded and pushed and convinced of the genuineness of our interest, but has shown a disconcerting enthusiasm in being mentioned in this post. :)

Alpona

Crediting done, the list of houses visited comes to an abrupt end, as did our traipsing due to the above-mentioned evils of rain and time. Given below is a list of the houses we have covered and intend to cover. It is not comprehensive, but we hope that it will be a starting point for more organized and better-planned excursions. One day out of five is the least that these houses deserve, and you can be assured of warmth and prosad in exchange for your efforts (which is something sadly missing from the crowd-puller pandals the city boasts of).

Done:
1. Sovabajar Rajbari (33 and 36, Raja Nabakrishna Street, Sovabajar)
2. Baidyanath (De) Mallick's Pujo (39, Jatindra Mohan Avenue, Sovabajar)
3. Darjipara'r Mitra Barir Pujo (19, Nilmoni Mitra Street, Sovabajar)
4. Darjipara'r Dawn Barir Pujo (Keshab Aabaas, Joy Mitra Street, Sovabajar)
5. Chatu Babu Latu Babu'r Pujo (Abhedananda Road/Beadon Street)
6. Dawn Barir Pujo, Jorasanko (12A, Shib Krishna Dawn Lane, Jorasanko)
7. Narasimha Dawn'er Pujo (20, Vivekananda Road)
8. Khelat Ghosh'er Pujo, (47, Pathuriaghata Street)
9. Hatkhola Dutta Barir Pujo (78, Nimtolla Ghat Street)
10. Saha Barir Pujo, (122A, Maniktolla Street)
11. Bholanath Dutta Barir Pujo (Bholanath Dham, Beadon Street)
12. Thanthania Laha Bari (2A Bidhan Sarani)

To do:
1. Thanthania Dutta Bari (3, Bidhan Sarani)
2. Chorbagan Chatterjee Bari (120, Muktaram Babu Street)
3. Chorbagan Mitra Bari (84, Muktaram Babu Street)
4. Chorbagan Seal Bari (42, Muktaram Babu Street)
5. Badan Chandra Roy'r Bari (2A, Gopal Chandra Lane, Coolotola)
6. Mutty Lall Seal er Bari (Opposite Medical College)
7. Purna Chandra Dhar er Bari (32A, Debendra Mullick Road)
8. Potoldanga Basu Mullick Bari (Radhanath Mullick Lane)
9. Rani Rashmoni'r Bari (SN Banerjee Road)
10. Dutta Barir Pujo (Balaram Dey Street)
11. Baishnabdas Mullick Barir Durga Pujo (Darpanarayan Tagore Street)

Sigh. Photos will be uploaded soon!
(c) Chandrani Datta

Call of the Cage.

After a long time we set out again and decided to head towards the much pending destination of Galiff Street(near Baghbazar) in North Kolkata . When you know that for once the destination is not an archaeological site but a weekly pet and plant market you have little choice regarding embarking early in the morning. However , despite the delay, we reached early enough to be lost amidst the hustle and bustle ofthis animal planet. The cacophony of tweets, chirps and young unformed barks was enough to guide us into the busy Galiff street on a Sunday morning. This market was not just about a row of sellers holding numerable cages full of vibrant, colourful birds but perhaps more about the enthusiasm of the customers and habitual commercialism of the sellers that made the ambience ebullient without compromising on the pecuniary interests of both the parties. Before you realize you are literally pushed by the swarming heads along the road lined by uncountable number of puppies , birds and fishes on display in plastic bags hanging from peg-lines and brick walls. The grumpy, expressionless sellers stand in stark contrast to the restless, lively caged creatures making the most the incarcerated space. In this throng of animals and humans , not only do you get a pair of flowering plants at 10 Rs but also a pair of little chicks at the same price and don’t be too surprised if the empty cages on the other hand might cost you something like Rs 1900 . This is Galiff Street. Whether you are a greenfinger or a PETA Ambassador or just a plebeian animal lover , this is one place you must visit. Even if after a week of hectic schedule , waking up early to make a good bargain might not be easy in the least , this experience might definitely be worth it if you can find some amazing companions from the ones sold here.

 However , even minimal sensitivity to the folks of the animal kingdom might not please you to see all of them caged  for commercial exchanges and it might be hard to choose the right dealer if you are not too aware about the different breeds.

              Once you are done with a walk through the Animal planet in Kolkata , you can always maka a quick visit to the picturesque Basubati in Baghbazar and if it is a Sunday do not give the delectable Kachoris from the street side shops of Baghbazar a miss. The ideal North Calcuttan breakfast can be easily digested if you walk your way back through the snaky, shady by-lanes of the older part of the city.