Another year of Puja...only Memories Remain!!!

 I was looking at the snaps I captured in last 2days! I was missing some faces badly! Wish they were here…

 

Another year, another Saraswati Puja … a more memorable one!

 

It wasn’t that chilling cold that one can expect at this part of the year! We celebrated the Puja at our locality for the 8^th time in a row! (We promised to ourselves, the 10^th one will be something!!!)

 

This time our committee lacked two Babai’s (they share same name + same birthdayJ ) else every one was the same. Oh! Yes, Rith joined us this year, as he turned 1.5 yearsJ (he can walk now!!)

 

So… me, Chotan da, Gopal, Kutti, Avik, Leon, Puja, Anuraag, Ayush, Ashutosh, Megha, Rith went for it (long list, but 6 of them are aged below 10: P). ‘Bowmani’ (Megha’s mom) had an invisible supervision… as alwaysJ

 

Chada (subscription) collection is always an attractive event, as we all have a good reputation at our locality! So residents never hesitate to give what we want (we are very polite & undemandingJ )

 

So, with the contribution from all the residents and some sponsorship from U.S … we got what we targeted!!!

 

Thakur kena (buying idol) is another exciting thing. It’s the main part of the Puja (as we believe). This time we chose an standing idol, standing on a lotus and ornamented with lucrative thermocol works!!!

 

Every one appreciated… it was the cutest idol in the cityJ

Pandal selection was a hectic one… size of idol, pandal cost… many constraints. At last, we tried something new, an 'open pandal' !

 

One should have a good bargaining capability, while buying fruits and flowers for a Puja… proudly we have that!!! Though we had to obey the price-hike… every where… no choiceL

 

Lighting… 3 halogens… Bapi kaku says “It’s the last year, I am not that young anymore to hang halogens from lampposts” … well he is not that oldJ that “last year” will never come…

 

There were some essential tasks also… cleaning the lane, the bricks individually… ordering chairs… not a big dealJ

 

So… we were ready to worship ‘Maa Saraswati’… were ready to rock!!!

 

… As always our Puja was a grand success… we laughed, we screamed… we bowed in front of the almighty!

 

… Thakur Moshai (the priest) was late by 1.5 hrs.

... The anjali was relayed to Boston (via cell phone)... well we are good techies after all!!!

 

… One dog tried to enter the pandal and disturb everything!!!

 

… We enjoyed every bit of India-Srilanka match… Ohh!!! What a finish!

 

… Dadhikarma was tasty… as always!!! This time the sugar was correctly added…

 

… Bhasan (emersion) was ok ok… we saw people queuing in front of our local lake to get their chance(!!!)

 

… Avik had to walk for 3mins with the leaked ghot (pot) on his head!!!

 

~ I pay all my homage to you, the almighty! Bless me, Bless us…

 

Today morning, I woke up and saw that bright Sun!!! It’s your blessing… never make me a deprived!!!

 

Come back next year… “Asche Bochor, Abar Hobe”