Where Maa comes home: 156 years of Durga Puja at Bhowanipore Dey Bari

Kolkata during Durga Puja shines with light and sound. Yet, in the quiet lanes of Bhowanipore, another world waits. Behind a rusted iron gate, wrapped in pink bougainvillaea, stands the Dey Bari. An old Bonedi Bari. It is a house where Durga Puja has been celebrated for generations.

- DEBROOP BANERJEE

Here, Puja is not about blaring music or dazzling lights. It is about Maa Durga arriving like a loved guest. Smiles, meals, and togetherness fill the home. This year is their 156th Puja. The devotion of the family still beats strong like the dhaak in the thakur dalan.

For Sohini Nag Dey, the fifth-generation daughter-in-law, this Puja is not just a ritual. It is the heart of the year. She says: “It is the only time when we are all under one roof, laughing, cooking, decorating, planning - as if Maa herself is coming here to stay with us.

Preparations begin months before. From Rath Yatra, the family performs Kathamo Pujo. They worship the wooden frame that holds the idol. The same frame used for more than a hundred years. Then comes Snan yatra, and the excitement grows. Meetings follow alongside budgets, saree colours, flowers, lights, and roles for each member.