This is the month when the world observes Urban October by debating on various urban issues as well as celebrating good works of city. October is also the month when monsoon gets over and winter is yet to set in. The blooming of Kasatandi marks the arrival of autumn in this part of the globe.
The rich or poor all enjoy Durga Puja, not just in Bhubaneswar or Kataka, but across the county. This is that time of the year when everyone around the country gets into a festive mood, celebrating Navratri with Garba, Dandiya and worshiping Goddess Durga.
Durga Puja is a very popular festival for those from east India. However, not many know about the unique Durga Puja of Kataka, practised since 1832. Its famous and unique silver filigree work is associated with Durga Puja and the Goddess’ backdrop called ‘Medha’.
In Kataka, there is a saying Durga Puja is a family get-together that continues till Gajalaxmi Puja. In the festival, Goddess Durga, too, is a family member which is reflected in artists’ design of idols that resembles a family member, distinctly different from the rest of India.
Durga Puja in Kataka dates back to Chaitanya, a Hindu saint who visited the city some time between 1512 and 1517, and worshiped Devi Durga while staying in Gadagadia Ghat which once used to be the gateway to this part of Odisha. It is believed Balu Bazar is the place where Chaitanya worshiped Devi Durga that was later continued by Bengali and Odia communities.
Balu Bazar Durga Pandal still practises its traditional way of worshiping Goddess Durga, showcasing one of the tallest Medhas made of silver filigree work.
Kataka is popularly known as Bauna Bazar Tepana Gali (Fifty-Two Markets in Fifty-Three Lanes) with its identity of Durga Puja backdrop and ornaments made of silver and gold filigree work. The filigree work of Kataka dates back to as old as the festival in this part of the world.
There is now a competition among pandals of Kataka in the use of silver filigree, brass, gold works in ‘Medha’ and ornaments. As of this year, 37 such pandals are there in Kataka, out of around 175 in total.
Interestingly, Choudhry Bazar, a community of business houses and one of the organisers of Puja pandals, introduced silver filigree Medha in 1956, which was embellished with gold in some parts including crowns in 2002. Hundreds and thousands of devotees are drawn to the pandals by these silver and gold combination of filigree works in Medha.
Some say the silver filigree work survived so many years because of Durga Puja. According to others, the competition among pandals is making it difficult for many residents and local business houses to fulfil their demands.
Whatever be the reason, Durga Puja in Kataka would have been more friendly and culture-rich, only if the hosts and government stay away from Melody, Meena Bazar, Rabana Podi and activities that create nuisance on streets and around pandals.
We don’t know what we are showing the world, our work or borrowed work. Durga Puja of Odisha is not a huge deal at the national level, although we have expensive idols competing in two neighbourhoods with silver and gold filigree work or the makeshift facade.
Gone are the days when walking, cycling or moving on a rickshaw to have darshan or glimpses of Devi Durga gave a good feeling. They are being replaced by vehicles, and the charm of moving around pandals during the festival was lost long ago.
Every Durga Puja, we fight among ourselves as to how much congestion is around pandals, how long it takes a person to reach a pandal, how to create crowds around pandals, how to bring dandia or garba etc. into our festivities. In other words, its like competition between artificial intelligence and artificial congestion.
In the process, we forgot to tell the world we have a Durga Puja that belongs to Odisha and is different from rest of India. Rather, we are told we are doing Durga Puja in Bengali style, we are dancing in tune with Marathi, Gujarati in Hindi belt of India. In reality, we were never close to the way Bengal celebrates Durga Puja. But by accepting it as Bengali, we missed telling the world our uniqueness of the festival, and thus we are wasting a week’s time without achieving anything other than showing up within neighbourhood of twin city.
With the change in English script of Cuttack into Kataka, let the world understand the richness of festivals in this culture-rich city during Navratri by reviving the festive atmosphere.
We can begin by decongesting Kataka during festivals by walking, cycling, moving on rickshaws; by playing Chandi Patha; showcasing history of each sahi Durga Puja in line with Bauna Bazar Tepana Gali. All those cultural activities along with Rabana Podi and music festival can be moved to Mahanadi bed and a selected silver filigree, gold, brass work can move in an organised manner like New Delhi Kartavya Path Republic Day tableu or like a carnival, different from present-day Vasani Jatra.
Perhaps this is the way to put Kataka in global cultural map in the days to come. It will reflect in arrival of domestic and foreign tourists, and it could be a revelation for those looking forward to a different view of Navratri. This could set our own style of the festival, rather than suffer from an identity crisis. The administration and puja committees could have a serious rethink.
Well Odisha does love biryani, with the more known ones being Hyderabadi biryani, Kolkata biryani, Lucknow biryani. However, the biryani cooked in Bhubaneswar or Kataka has its unique taste as well as flavour. Yet, we couldn’t market it domestically, forget globally. Similar has been the case of Durga Puja in Kataka or Gosani, Durga Madhaba puja in Puri, Shodasa Dinatmaka puja vis-à-vis Navratri.
So let the Urban October ignite Kataka taste and facilitate our global cultural identity.
