Durga Pujo Pandal hopping in Powai Mumbai India! Elsie Gabriel

Durga Pujo Pandal hopping in Powai!

Elsie Gabriel

Overcrowded streets of Hiranandani Powai Mumbai add to the excitement and pandemonium always involved in the pandal hopping atmosphere during the Durga Pujo celebrations every year.

Zig Zag lights, explosion of sounds, toys on the streets that make the most noise when blown into your ears as you try and make an entry into the pandals, standing in a long serpentine queue to get a glimpse of  Maa! What high spirited souls, Durga puja is truly a world festival. It’s a street festival filled with colours, crisp brand new dhakais and the balloon walla’s, all in all a heady offerings to your senses!

It was a double delight as Hiranandani Powai in Mumbai this year held two different Pandals in the same complex, which actually made pandal hopping a reality after twenty years of the one’s we visited back home in West Bengal. Childhood memories came alive as I narrated to my son Ridge how we used to be the privileged one’s to be escorted in the ‘Boozer’ all around the pandals .Pani Puris for a rupee! Chicken rolls for 50 paisa’s and ofcourse that Alu chaat and chicken cotlet!!!

Such happy faces partying away, holding on to their saree pleats with one hand and clinging on to little kids on the other! Spotted one Bong wearing the famous Baluchari saree, the one with the entire Mahabharata story engraved on it,,the saree was epic! Of course with sudden heavy rains sweeping the whole country, and the cyclone said to hit Orissa anytime soon, many devotees wore silk salwar kameez to move around faster with the wet ground beneath…..

‘Shaan’ the Bollywood sensational singer  stole the night today with his renditions as not only the Bongs but the whole of the audience doubled up in screams. It was no less than the head bangers ball, I tell you.

The gourmet spread was quite elaborate and you can smell the food a mile away. We bought a whole lot and stood and ate like the rest of the thousands who equally enjoyed being pushed around elbow to elbow while trying to get a Mosel in. Bhaapa Hilish, or steamed hilsa, and chholar dal, or channey ka dal, fritters, brinjal bhaja, potato fingers and pumpkin fries. Chicken rolls, Birayanis, Mutton curry and white rice, fish chops and fish fries,fish in mustard sauce.The mustard hit me in the nose like the dish always did back home, pungent and sensational enough to want some more.My diet plans simply vanished with the October breeze. Oh My Godh I want to go back and eat some more!  I brought some Misti doi back home for a midnight indulgence with the kids.

Dhol came out and stole the thunder too.It drove all those ladies crazy.Non stop dancing took over right in the middle of the arena,,,and ended only with the dunchuni dance with smoke and earthen lamps. What a religious call out with fervor

, conch and drums, deadly combinations and am sure Mother Goddess will hear all our prayers!
Gastronomical delights overpowered  the idol sighting, but I prayed hard looking keenly on Maa that women on earth be more like Durga, strong, righteous and win good over evil. 

Two of my women friends launched their Music CDs during the Durga puja celebrations and it was so apt.Violinist Sunita Bhuyan called hers 'Invocation of Maa',beautiful offering.Sunita also played the violin along with her Mother on stage and both put forth a loving duet.Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and singer Hariharan Ji joined Music maestro Anup Jalota in launching the same.
Beautiful Sangeeta Nambiar offered her maiden music CD 'Megher Anchal' also to Durga Maa. Her collection is also a fabulous lot surely adding spice to the Bengali collection.

More to women power I prayed!