In a Google search for ‘oldest Durga Puja in West Bengal’, you will find Barisha Roy Choudhury’s 1610 puja. In the absence of oral history documents, Google can claim a spot on its hallowed first page. In fact, Durga Puja was initiated by Maharaja Nara Narayan of Koch Bihar many years earlier. This was around 1533. He called her ‘Boro Debi’ – Great Goddess, loosely translated. In a dream, she appeared to him after a fast of several days. Durga is referred to as Boro Debi here. In 2021, twelve years shy of 500, the Boro Debi is still the same in this little corner of West Bengal. Durga here does not look like the idol that is seen now. In this case, the lion is replaced by a tiger, since this region had a lot of them. The Maharajas regularly went hunting for big game in these parts; so a tiger as Durga’s ‘vaahan’ in Nara Narayan’s dream is not unusual. The idol seen by the king in his dream is the same. 488 years later too.
In this place, Durga is not accompanied by her children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik, and Ganesh. They have been replaced by Jaya and Bijaya. They hold electric bulbs now instead of earthen diyas, but the platform on which the Goddess stands remains the same. Boro Debi has remained aloof from the changes around her. In contrast to other Durga idols that are brought to the mandap on Panchami or Shashti, this Durga is built out of clay on the platform itself. It is on Mahalaya that she gets her eyes. The collapsible gates on Shashti are thrown open, but people know they shouldn’t cross it. They pray from this side of the mandap, staring in awe at this idol that has survived the tides of time. Here, Ashtami begins with a buffalo sacrifice. Several years ago, a District Magistrate tried to stop the sacrifice but was met with waves of resentment. Despite the ‘godless Marxists’ coming and going, this Durga has not suffered damage. As a result, the sacrifice continues. This is the most revered, the most feared Durga of Cooch Behar after all.
Her journey back starts at 9 am. Not a minute late (there are these traffic obstacles to account for!). This is the first bisorjon in #CoochBehar. The others will follow in the evening… Another year now.
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Shubho Bijoya! pic.twitter.com/BvcfJRQRW8— Ananya Bhattacharya (@ananya116) October 15, 2021
At the time of Sandhi Puja, when Ashtami merges with Nabami, this Durga makes a unique request. Human sacrifice was part of the festival for many years after Nara Narayan started this Puja. The ‘human sacrifice’ has changed; it is now merely symbolic – thanks to Durga! The temple performs a Gupta puja at a very late hour on Ashtami night. A priest and a man perform the rituals. Rice is used to create a human figure. The man pierces his finger. This rice figure is made human by adding a few drops of blood. It is then sacrificed to the Goddess. Henceforth the town continues to prosper and becomes rich as is believed.
In the early morning of Dashami, the Cooch Behar Boro Debi embarks on her journey back. During the Sindoor Khela, a group of people assembles to take the Goddess to her in-laws. As the group pulls out the ropes bound to the platform, long, sturdy ropes are thrown out. ‘Bolo Durga Maai Ki Jai’, ‘Abar Kobe, Bochhor Pore’ are heard as Durga is escorted to The Jamuna Dighi by this motley group. Behind the Debi Bari is this pond. the pond still exists.
Read more: Dussehra/Vijaya Dashami – Last day of Navratri: Significance and Prasad
When the Goddess is brought to the banks of the Jamuna Dighi, she is not immersed immediately. Her idol is enormous. It cannot be immersed in the pond easily. Hence it is sliced. Initially, it’s Jaya-Bijaya, then the hands of Durga, and finally the head. When Nara Narayan watched the immersion from atop an elephant, a bird would be released. The bird’s flight path indicated the territory the king had to conquer that year. The clay dissolves a few days after Dashami. The straw floats on top of the water. It can be collected and dried, then used for thatched roof repairs, or just kept around the house. Once dry, the Jamuna Dighi turns dark green. The oldest Durga vanishes without a trace.
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