As Delhi gears up for Durga Puja, pre-pujo walks are taking participants beyond pandal-hopping to explore the history, traditions and people behind the festival. In CR Park, the Pujo Aschey walk by DelhiByFoot and the Mitti Se Maa Ka Safar walk by O’Pause Travel Experiences, in collaboration with Sabhyata Heritage Walks, offered different routes into the neighbourhood’s pujo story – from its Bengali roots and the mythology of Durga to the rituals and craft behind idol-making.At 8am, around 20 people gathered outside Market 4 in CR Park recently for DelhiByFoot founder Ramit Mitra’s Pujo Aschey walk, including a self-described “pseudo-Bengali” and a non-Bengali who had grown up around pujo, both curious about the history, rituals and people behind the celebration.
Ramit’s walk began at the footsteps leading to the Kali Mandir in CR Park
Mythology to making of idols: Walks give the back story to Durga PujaOn the steps leading to Kali Bari Mandir, Ramit began by talking about the formation of the East Pakistan Displaced Persons (EPDP) Colony (now called Chittaranjan Park, or CR Park) in 1967, sharing, “In 1970, CR Park’s first, and Delhi’s second, puja took place… CR Park hosts 12 pujas now, with several cultural competitions and events taking place before and during the puja. It is considered the best way to stay connected to Bengali roots.”
The walk is an experience to soak the puja buzz that takes over CR Park during this time of year. The idea of starting this walk, back in 2013, was to break down a cultural barrier
Ramit Mitra
During the course of the walk, Ramit also discussed the evolution of CR Park homes, how they look now & more
‘Documenting the making of the idols is a complete photo story’Ramit began with the mythology of Durga and Mahishasura before turning to the making of the pratima. At two murtikar workshops – one at Kali Bari and another behind Chandralok Cinema – participants saw the stages of idol-making and learnt about the rituals and traditions behind it.
Participants capture the beauty of the pratimas that have already been painted
For Virendra Shekhawat, founder of Delhi Photography Club, photo walks at the murtikar workshops present a complete photo story. “What makes idol-making fascinating from a photographer’s perspective is that you can capture the entire process as one complete photo story — from sourcing and preparing the soil to building the structure, shaping the idol, drying it, painting it and finally seeing it immersed. You see something take shape from the soil, become a fully formed idol, and then eventually return to nature.”
Delhi Photography Club organised the walk four times to capture the full story of the making of the pratima
For Granthika Chatterjee, who grew up in Kolkata, the visit to the murtikar workshops brought back memories of her childhood. “For 18 years, it was a ritual for my father and me to visit Kumartuli (in Kolkata) and simply absorb the atmosphere. We were like those who are called pujo pagol. Coming here brought back that nostalgia.”
Attendees visited murtikar Manik Pal’s workshop behind Chandra Lok Cinema
During one of the walks, participants also learnt how to do dhunuchi naach, adding a more festive note to a walk that had largely focused on what happens before the celebrations begin
The walk with Ramit Mitra was punctuated by food stops, including radhaballabhi with aloor dum, kheer kadam and lebu cha
Beyond the pandal: The people and craft behind pujoThe Mitti Se Maa Ka Safar walk, led by Archana Jain of O’Pause Travel Experiences in collaboration with Sabhyata Heritage Walks, began at Kali Mandir at 5pm recently. Archana traced the lesser-known history of the displaced Bengali community, stopping at Market No 1 to savour puchkas while discussing the early community Durga Puja. At the murtikar workshop behind Chandralok Cinema, she explained the rituals from Mahalaya to Dashami, including Bodhon, the awakening of the goddess.
Archana Jain with the group of participants during the walk
Conducting the walk for the second time, Jain explored CR Park through its craft traditions. “For me, the most interesting part is understanding how a displaced community rebuilt not just homes, but an entire cultural world in a new city. The Durga Puja we see today is also a story of migration, memory, identity and belonging. One of the most fascinating parts of the walk is watching the making of the Durga idol. I call it the ‘Kumartuli of CR Park’ because it gives people a glimpse of the craft and labour behind the celebration. We usually see the finished idol and the grandeur of the pandal, but rarely think about the artisans and the generations of skill that go into creating the goddess.”
‘Documenting the making of the idols is a complete photo story’
We usually see the finished idol and the grandeur of the pandal, but rarely think about the artisans and the generations of skill that go into creating the goddess
Archana Jain
Mona Suri Mathur, a resident of Indirapuram, saw the walk as an opportunity to explore community and new experiences beyond midlife. “During the pre-pujo walk, there were several references to the importance of community. Walks like this are just the kind of experiences one looks for at this stage of life – beyond midlife,” she said.Smriti Pandey, who previously lived in CR Park, revisited memories of pandal-hopping in the neighbourhood. “I am reminiscing about the old days, when I used to stay in the area and had a gala time hopping from one pandal to another. Through this walk, I witnessed a different side of pujo,” she said.
A puchka stop added a tasty detour to the walk
For Nikita Ahuja, who studied at a Bengali school and has long attended Minto Road Puja, the walk connected the dots, offering a glimpse into the people and processes behind the celebrations. “What I took away from the walk was how many hundreds and thousands of people are involved in making each puja happen.”
While crossing the alleys of CR Park markets, the group takes pit stops at shops to catch glimpses of the groceries and vegetables used in Bengali households, Puja decor and more.
