As I said earlier, the Autumn festival has got a spiritual component attached with it, the spiritual element is known as 'Durga Puja' wherein 'Maa Durga' the Goddess of Power is worshiped during the days of the festival. Over the years, I have seen that the incremental excitement to welcome the Goddess never reveals of the pain that each one goes through the rest of the year. It has almost become a practice to think of new avenues to welcome 'Maa Durga' via different means every year as in commercials,literature,fashions,theme planning and what not? However, there are quite a few things which will remain unturned no matter how old it gets.
One of them is a collection of songs to welcome the mother - we call them Agomoni songs (Agomoni means Welcome). Surprisingly, for such songs, the audience do not want much changes. Each one of us would rather prefer to listen to the age old songs (some of them may be older than most of us!) rather than listening to some new ones. In Bengal, some such popular songs really adds to our nostalgia - 'baajlo tomaar aalor benu' (May be a very blunt translation in English - 'The dulcet tone of your flute of the luminance has started to play'),'jaago Durga, jaago doshoprohorono dharini' (oh Goddess Durga, please wake up) - there is a belief that Maa Durga has got 10 arms and in each one of them she carries a weapon,'Jao jao giri aanite Gauri Uma boro dukhe royechhe' - A belief, most popular in India that a child cannot stay comfortable when separated from the parent(s). Gauri or Uma (both names of Maa Durga) is believed to be the daughter of the Himalayas. The song is sung from the perspective of Uma's mother who is requesting her father (the Lord of the mountains - Himalayas) to bring her back from her in laws' home in heaven as she is bothered of her daughter's well being there. The sole objective of such songs is to celebrate the spirit of welcoming the mother - Maa Durga for her 10 days stay in ancestral home.
To most of us, the homecoming of the mother is also signified by certain changes in environment- the wonderful smell of the siuli flower and a brilliant site of 'kaash' (not sure of English names of both, though got a chance to see some kaash in the UK),the clear blue sky with white clouds floating like cotton (especially after the gloomy face of the sky during the rainy season),a sudden happy feeling in mind when the first daylight breaks into our home through the window and most important (and perhaps the most interesting) the sound of a musical instrument known as 'dhaak' which creates such an intoxicating sensation in heart that can't be expressed in language. It is the entire world around us that keeps on adding to the warmth of welcoming the mother after an year. A true Agomoni indeed!
As I said, to me the real attraction of the Pujas lies in it's preparation. I have never become bored at looking into every bit of the development of the Pujas in locality starting from budget allocation,followed by contacting the relevant groups (as in decorators for pandals - a temporary temple built for the idol to reside for the next days - I really feel nostalgic when I see children climbing to the top of the under construction pandals),decorating the entire locality with electric light (some really display a wonderful show of aesthetic sense) - it seems that we are all preparing to put on our best to welcome our most nearer and dearer guest.
At the beginning of 21st century, we are left to wonder at the affinity of human beings towards the same Agomoni songs and the same change in environment repeated every year(without getting bored). I really get surprised when I find little kids enjoying to the tunes of such Agomoni songs,dance to the beats of dhaak and climb to the top of the pandals. One truly said, there are certain things which never grows old but only gets enriched every year. Perhaps the evergreen feelings to such things are born in a 'never to die' attitude and will keep on reminding us of our childhood days till we live. So, on the eve of another new dawn, let us once again forget all the worries, pains and go back to our childhood again to welcome some one very close - 'The Mother', with the same warmth in our heart.
