Gauripur Royal Durga Puja
Discover the rich cultural heritage of Gauripur Durga Puja, a 404-year-old celebration by the royal family at the historic Mahamaya Temple. A story of timeless traditions, communal harmony, and the blend of ancient rituals with local customs.
Ah, Gauripur! Who would’ve thought that the quaint little town I visited with my brothers, Bubai and Mithun, all those years ago in 1996, would make such a lasting impression on me? It was a time of relocating to Calcutta from Guwahati, and Rang (my dear uncle) and Kakimoni (my aunt) played host to us for what felt like a brief moment of respite amidst the whirlwind of change. Little did I know that our impromptu trip to Gauripur would leave me with a memory that would resurface two decades later, courtesy of an article in The Assam Tribune.
The building we admired back then, with its heritage charm and echoes of a grand past, now turns out to be the very heart of Gauripur’s royal Durga Puja celebrations! I nearly spilled my cuppa when I read about the 404-year-old Durga Puja that began on Thursday with all the pomp and circumstance you’d expect from a festival steeped in history.
The historic town of Gauripur, situated on the banks of the Brahmaputra, has come alive again with the annual Durga Puja hosted by none other than the Gauripur royal family. Held at the revered Mahamaya Temple, this festival has been a beacon of cultural heritage and, dare I say, a real masterclass in communal harmony for over four centuries.
It all kicked off at the crack of dawn—7 am to be precise—with the traditional procession of the beautifully crafted Goddess Durga idol. This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill idol, mind you. Oh no, the Goddess is made from Shola Pith, a type of reed, and accompanied by a permanent idol of the Kuldevi Mahamaya, forged from Ashtadhatu, a formidable alloy of eight metals. The sight of that procession snaking its way from the Maa Mahamaya Permanent Temple to the Durga Temple at Mahamaya Ground must have been something to behold.
Leading the charge was Rajpurohit Aruplochan Chakraborty, alongside priest Buddha Roy, both in their spiritual element, guiding the devotees—who’d come from near and far. Of course, Prabir Kumar Barua, a key figure of the royal family and president of the Mahamaya Temple managing committee, was at the helm, proudly keeping the centuries-old tradition alive.
“Maintaining this age-old tradition is a matter of great pride and responsibility,” Prabir Kumar Barua was quoted as saying. It’s no small feat to keep a festival like this ticking over for 404 years, mind you. What’s more, it’s not just about the spectacle of it all—it’s about fostering a sense of community, of togetherness, much like the days of old when the royal family would invite everyone, regardless of caste, creed, or religion, to take part in the festivities. They even handed out flattened rice and curd—a humble yet meaningful gesture that still goes on today.
Now, for a bit of history: the origins of this Durga Puja date back to 1620, during the reign of the Gauripur royals. Fast forward to 1850, and King Pratap Chandra Barua, a forward-thinking sort, moved the festival from Rangamati to Gauripur, along with their revered deity, Kuldevi Mahamaya. Since then, the autumnal worship of Goddess Durga has become a major event, celebrated with great gusto every year.
What sets this Durga Puja apart is the simultaneous worship of both Kuldevi Mahamaya and the Goddess Durga, combining age-old royal rituals with local customs. And here’s a lovely twist—while the rituals for Kuldevi Mahamaya are conducted by Rajpurohit Aruplochan Chakraborty, it’s the duty of priest Buddha Roy to oversee the Shardiya Durga Puja, a fine example of tradition and teamwork, if ever there was one.
The article in The Assam Tribune also made a point about the festival’s inclusiveness, a rarity in these divisive times. The royal family’s commitment to uniting people from all walks of life under the banner of this grand celebration, while distributing offerings and promoting communal harmony, is what truly makes it special. And it’s not just the old-timers who feel this way. A local lad, Suman Das, shared his thoughts, saying, “It’s not just about the religious rituals, it’s about celebrating our shared history and bonds as a community.”
I can just picture the scene—the festival winding down with the grand immersion of the deity at the confluence of the Brahmaputra and Gadadhar rivers, a symbolic gesture of the goddess returning to her celestial abode. It’s moments like these that remind you of the timeless traditions that keep communities, and indeed cultures, knit together through the ages.
Looking back on my own trip to Gauripur, I’m rather chuffed to think I’ve walked through such history, even if I didn’t fully appreciate it at the time. Isn’t it funny how life sometimes gives you these little moments of clarity, years after the fact? As they say, better late than never!
Cover Picture sources : The Assam Tribune
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