Saraswati Puja

My apologies to any readers out there for falling so far behind. Several nights in a row of going to bed at 4-4:30 am will do that! Saraswati Puja was held on January 20th this year – the fact that the puja would take place during the time I planned to be in Kolkata was one of the factors that influenced by decision to make this trip in the first place. Saraswati is the aspect of the Goddess that supports all forms of learning and the arts; she is the patroness of all musicians and Khansahib taught us to show her honor and devotion even as he did. He used to tell stories of seeing a beautiful woman appear in his father’s music room late at night when his father was playing, who would disappear later – this was the Goddess coming to listen to his father’s music.

The entire idea of a culture that devotes a day every year to celebrate the arts, where the government declares a full day holiday and shops, businesses and offices close, could seem pretty radical to the rest of the relentlessly money-oriented world. Even in the rest of India this day is not celebrated as it is in Bengal. It is one the facets that makes Bengali culture so rich and unique. Almost every street and lane sets up a temporary structure or booth and installs a statue of the Goddess. Some of them are quite fantastic! I observed that there is almost always a music player of some kind left running, even if it’s just film or pop music. Even the street dogs geta blessing with a red mark on their foreheads.

In the morning I went to the homes of two prominent musicians, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri and Pandit Tejendra Mazumdar, to participate in the actual puja itself, which the priest celebrates in front of the statue or image while guests visit or watch. Afterwards there is a meal offered which is also prasad, blessed by the Goddess. In the evening there are informal performances in the home of almost every musician and I was invited to play at two. The first was held at relatives of the tabla player Subhen Chatterjee, where I played with people sitting almost knee to knee with me and Tim Witter. Whatever those mysterious factors are that determine how programs go, everything seemed to line up and I gave the best performance of the entire trip, in Rag Puriya Dhanashri.