Growing up Durga puja was a festival we always looked forward to with excitement, it was something that reminded us about our rich culture. Just being a part of this tradition over the years, it made me realize that how it was my quest for getting closer to my roots. As a photographer my practice looks at cross-cultural comparative study in defining my identity as an individual.
The Goddess Durga is a dominant deity of India. She is considered as the epitome of feminine strength. She is depicted in a variety of Vedic literature as ‘a goddess having feminine prowess, power, determination, wisdom and punishment much beyond this material world’. Devotees worship Durga to gain positive energy, to cleanse their mind so as to attain purity and salvation. Durga Puja is a celebration of the victory of good over evil. In the beginning the puja was restricted within upper-class households of West Bengal, however as time went by the celebration spread across India on a large scale and included people from outside the community. This festival plays an integral part within Bengalis. It makes people feel a sense of belonging in the community even if they are far away from their roots. During this journey I discovered many aspects of this festival. I wanted to explore further, through my father's personal archive of the puja. I also looked at a large group of Bengali Diasporas living in Delhi. Documenting the puja in Delhi made me want to experience the origins of this tradition. Therefore, I went to Joynagar, West Bengal to cover a 500-year-old puja.
‘AASCHEY BHOCHOR AABAAR HOBEY’ is a personal exploration of Durga Puja through the eyes of a second generation Bengali living in Delhi.