A Puja Samiti With A Difference

The Thakurbari Puja Samiti in Gardanibagh, were seen keeping its tradition with no heavy decoration and organised the puja with simplicity.It is well known that this is one of the oldest puja samiti which were started to install the idol of the Goddess Durga some 100 years back by few government servants who were posted there by the then British government to do some survey work.  The importance of the tradition can be gauged from the fact that the organisers do not go for huge pandals or spend money on extravagant decoration. People willingly contribute funds and this puja samiti never fall short of funds because the people have great respects for Maa Durga and this puja samiti. Nagendra Jha the chief pundit here who claimed the place attracts both affluent and common people who come from within the city and also from different parts of Bihar. One of the unique features of this Puja Samiti is the temporary market that comes up with the beginning of main festivities on “Saptami”. According to local residents, the number of temporary shops is more than 100. The Thakurbari Puja Samiti is well known for offering “Chhappan Bhog”  to the Goddess Durga on the “Navami” day and distributing the prasad later among visiting devotees. The pundal organisers feel very relaxed and satisfied by doing so. “We believe in distributing the ‘Prasad’ among maximum number of  people possible,” said the organisors.