Saraswati Puja celebrated with fanfare and gaiety
From Our Correspondent
SILCHAR, January 25: In keeping with the tradition of piety and solemnity, student community across the valley of Barak, in particular, celebrated ‘Saraswati Puja’ today, invoking the Goddess, known as the very embodiment of knowledge, learning and wisdom, for bestowing her blessings on them.
Inside the temples of learning, private houses and public establishments as well as in community pandals, the well crafted and beautifully decorated idols of the Goddess were stalled on the altars and devotees and visitors offered their prayers. Since early morning, the priests at the places of worship were seen aking necessary arrangements with the help of their assistants for the religious rituals.
While students in schools and colleges have been more keen to offer prayer and take ‘anjali’ for betterment of their academic career, the scerio was a bit different in other places of worship. Bowing their heads with devotion before the idols of Goddess was common, while taking ‘anjali’ a preferential choice. But, all have the only objective to seek and get her blessings.
Tribal boys and girls belonging to diverse tribes at many places were seen offering prayers. In the tribal hostels run by Vavasi Kalyan Ashram, the tribal students made their own arrangements and with the help of priests performed the puja and yag. Outside the holy are of worship and prayer, it was an aura of enthusiasm and gaiety as younger generation youth boys and girls could be seen walking down the streets or on bikes for darshan of Devi. There was more of jocundity than religiousor spiritual touch. And they were in all sorts of dresses, traditiol, modern and trendy. It would appear as if the very spirit of puja was changing, giving it the colour and verve of a carnival.
Notwithstanding the changing trend, all the places of worships were well decorated and with the sunset well illumited.
People of all ages and sections thronged the pandals to offer prayers and also have a look at illumitions and artistic designs on the floors before the altars specially laid down on the occasion of any Hindu puja celebration.
How a student takes the holy day is well reflected in what Nilkamal Dutta, a student of class IX has to say, “I feel free and relaxed as parents give me the freedom to meditate and worship Saraswati on the day, being free from any studies, private tuitions or home works.” He at the same time did not miss to speak of the sense of serenity and holiness that runs in him.
For college student, Mousoumi Chakraborty, apart from spending some moment in the thought of Saraswati, “I love to share the day with my intimate friends and have delicious dishes in a restaurant.”