The Devi And The Two Delicacies
We create moments, our senses create memories…
Come autumn every year and we await, with sweet anticipation, for the Devi to descend upon earth, to drive away the darkness and dullness of our lives with her ethereal glow. But those few days of ecstasy and celebration soon slip away, much against our wishes. All that remains, are the sweet memories of a few distinctive sights, tastes and sounds that link our senses unflinchingly to the goddess.
The Devi brings with her an aura that lights up our homes and our hearts, infuses an energy into our souls that reverberates through the dhaak, the aarti and the bells. She makes us believe, 'Life is positive energy! Give it wings to soar and fly!' She reminds us, ‘Good always prevails over evil.’ The Devi bestows upon us a will to better ourselves than in previous years, to shed self-doubts, to defeat our demons, to leave regrets behind, and to look at a new dawn with courage and enthusiasm. One look at her face can leave you mesmerised. I get this flutter inside my heart each year when I stand before the Devi and look at her face. She transfixes you in the moment and as you close your eyes and bow before her in obeisance, you can feel her continued gaze upon you, protecting and blessing you. That beautiful face can send you motherly love and slay an asura at the same time. Only the Devi can carry such ferocity and tranquility in perfect proportion on her lovely face. The countenance of the Devi is something that lingers on in the mind as we leave behind autumn and step into the winter.
Memories are built best upon things that are real and tangible. Durga puja would be incomplete without jalebi and bhog khichri, which may be considered as the signature elements of puja fanfare in my nook of the world. Jalebi is the showstopper of the array of sweets and cookies sold during puja. The charm of relishing a jalebi is, however, incomplete unless you stand by the vendor, see his hand in deft motion twisting the semiliquid mix into those alluring curls of sweetness - at first sizzling in ghee till crisp, then immersed with love into the chassni of kesar flavoured sugar syrup. It's lovely to see them transform into saffron curls within seconds, and even lovelier when they are served straight out of the syrup with their warm and juicy cores and crisp surfaces. Jalebi enjoyed alone or limited to a single serving should be forbidden. Because jalebi symbolises abundance! The heaps of jalebi at the counter fill your heart with the abundance of love and laughter during puja. It is no wonder then, that everyone loves to get lost in the labyrinth of jalebi sweetness.
In the afternoons, when the daily chants, rituals and obeisance to the deities are done with, the devotees gather for bhog. From Saptami to Navami, for three days the afternoons are a frenzy. That section of the pandal literally goes into pandemonium, but the clatter of 'handis' and spoons and plates, the chatter of the crowds, and the commands of the overseers all settle down to a fulfilling hum when the bhog is served. It's time for me then, like many others, to find my plate of fulfillment. Bhog is essentially khichri cooked on firewood and finished with dollops of ghee. When the spoonfuls of piping hot khichri are poured over your plate, the aroma of smoke and ghee overrides the desire for any expensive fine dining restaurant. The khichri comes accesorised with a tangy tomato chutney and a 'labda' (a mushy vegetable mix that has a signature gingery taste) and finished off with payesh (kheer). Khichdi is India's national dish and every state has its own version. Here, we are talking of the eastern parts of the country, far eastern infact. And khichri in these parts speaks of a delightful, hot, steamy, and flowy mix of rice and lentil that teases your taste-buds with its smoky and buttery flavours.
It's now several days past and the puja fervour is settling down, people are getting busy with new festivities. I am a part of this crowd too. But my mind cannot help going back to the memories of the Devi’s countenance and the two delicacies that are enough to sum up this golden festival of autumn. And with hope in my eyes and a smile on my lips I shall wait for the Devi to come home again another year.