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Puja workshop to help priests stick to tradition

Puja workshop to help priests stick to tradition

Author: TNN
Publication: The Times of India
Date: September 6, 2010
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Puja-workshop-to-help-priests-stick-to-tradition/articleshow/6503000.cms

With less than six weeks to go for Durga Puja, several erstwhile zamindar families of the city are organising training camps for priests to bring authenticity into community pujas.

While the old family pujas still follow tradition rigorously, right from the making of the kathamo or the wooden structure to visharjan, when it comes to community pujas, the general complaint is that the piety gets drowned in merrymaking and that even priests take it easy.

The training camps are trying to bring back authenticity to community pujas. One such camp is on in full swing at the Daw family mansion at Girish Park. The camp is being conducted by Sanskrit scholars like Murari Mohan Bendanto Tirtha and Jayanta Kushari.

"Most priests of community pujas just parrot the mantras without understanding their real meaning. On the other hand people only concentrate on the merry making and feasting part, instead of the serious side of the pujas," said Bedantotirtha.

When TOI reached the camp on Sunday evening, training was on in full swing. At least 150 priests were being instructed why they should not take tea breaks in between the pujas and how to get the Sanskrit accents right. "The magic of the mantras lies in the diction. The right mantras will make you feel the presence of the divine, they are so powerful," said Kushari.

The priests were told why 108 lotuses are used for Durga Puja. "It is not the lotus alone that is a must in Durga Puja. All the yantrapushpas flowers denoting the different organs of the goddess are required. So, you also need belpata, rakta karabi, rakta bak, jaba and blue aparajita to worship Durga. Lotus depicts the breasts of the goddess, rakta karabi and aparajita, the yoni, and jaba the face."


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