DURGA PU JA & KALI PU JA

DURGA PU JA & KALI PU JA 2010 2 2 Organised by Wales Puja Committee Registered Charity No. 1050138 1

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We the members of Wales Puja Committee welcome you To our Autumn Festivities of DURGA PUJA (Wednesday 13 th October - 17th October 2010) KALI PUJA (Friday 5th November 2010) AT PENYRHEOL COMMUNITY CENTRE, PENYRHEOL CAERPHILLY, SOUTH WALES CF83 2PE ( For Further Information / Directions visit: www.pujainwales.com) 3

2010 TIME TABLE FOR DURGA PUJA SASHTHI & BODHAN Wednesday 13th October 2010 Puja, Prasad 7.30 9.30 pm MAHA SAPTAMI Thursday 14 th October 2010 Puja & Anjali Prasad & Bhog Arati Couple Games (Bor Bodhu Sambad) Refreshments 11.00am 1.30 pm 1.30 2.30pm 7.00 7.30pm 7.30-9.00pm 9.00 10.00pm MAHA ASHTAMI Friday 15th. October 2010 Puja & Anjali Prasad & Bhog Arati Evening Programme (Nrityakala, London) Refreshments 11.00am 1.00pm 1.30 2.30pm 6.30-7.00pm 7.30pm 9.00pm 9.00pm 10.00pm SANDHI PUJA Friday 15 th October 2010 1.15pm 2.15pm MAHA NAVAMI Saturday 16 th. October 2010 Puja & Anjali Prasad & Bhog Arati Entertainment ( Sangeeter Surey Nrityer Tale) Refreshments VIJOYA DASHAMI Sunday 17 th October 2010 Puja, Anjali, Prasad Sindur Khela & Visharjan Shanti Jaal 11.00am 1.30pm 1.30 2.30 pm 7.00 7.30pm 8.00 9.00pm 9.00 10.00pm 11.00am 1.00pm 1.00 2.00pm 2.00 2.30pm VIJOYA SAMMELANI Sunday 17 th October 2010 Arundhati Holme Choudhury & 6.30 8.30pm Shibaji Chattopadhay From Kolkata Dinner 8.30 10.00pm (Tickets Adult 8.00, Children (5-12) & Students 5.00) 4

KALI PUJA Friday, 5 th November 2010 PROGRAMME Puja & Pushpanjali Bhog & Refreshments 7.00pm 9.00pm 9.00 10.00pm DIWALI Saturday 6 th November 2010 Dinner & Dance The Three Saints Hotel, Llantrisant TICKETS Adults: 12.00 each Child ( 5-12) 6.50 each 10% discount if tickets purchased through WPC 5

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2010-11 OFFICE BEARERS CHAIRPERSON Dr Sankar Das VICECHAIRPERSON Dr Subhas Das SECRETARY Mr Neeleem Saha TREASURER Mr Dipak Kundu CATERING Mrs Utsha (Shikha) Das Mrs Tomoshree Mukherjee ENTERTAINMENT & PUBLICITY EVENTS OFFICER PUJA CO-ORDINATOR Mrs Raktima Bhadra-Sarkar Mrs Sikha Nath Dr Sandip Raha Mrs Padma (Maitreyi) Das MEMBERS Mrs S Basak Dr C Banerjee Mrs M Bhowmick Dr Raja Biswas Dr Ranjit Sinha Ray Dr Ashok Mukherjee Mr T K Kar Mrs J Majumdar (Hon) Dr R Majumdar (Hon) Mrs Mahua Mukherjee Dr Kaushik Mukherjee Dr Angshu Mukhekee Dr Kanti Nath Dr M L Nath Mrs S Sharma Dr R D Narayan Mrs A Narayan Dr Sakti Guha Niyogi Dr S K Sharma (Hon) Dr H V Shah Mr Anirban Mukherjee Mrs Banani Sinha Ray 6

ENTERTAINMENT ( During Durga Puja) SAPTAMI (14 TH October) Family Quiz 1PM Bor Bodhu Sambad - 7.30PM (Couple Games) ASHTAMI (15 TH October) Karna Kunti Invocation 7.30-9 PM By Nrityakala, London NAVAMI (16 TH October) Carram Tournament (Prelims) 1 PM Sangeeter Suray Nrityar Talay 8 PM (Performance by children and local artists) Dashami (17 th October) Carrom Tournament (final) 12 noon Sit and Draw (Children) 12 Noon Sangeet Jalsha 6.30 8.30 PM (Performance by Arundhati Holme Choudhury & Shibaji Chattopadhyay) Vijaya Sammelani Sunday 17 th October 2010 6.30-8.30 PM Ticket price 8 Adults, 5- Children, Under 5 free An enchanting evening of music awaits music connoisseurs. Arundhati Holme Choudhury and Shibaji Chattopadhay are husband-wife duo who have mesmerized audience for generations. Arundhati Holme Choudhury sang quite a few memorable songs of Salil Chowdhury such as 'Ke jaabi aay' and 'Porey thaak pichhe ei gaan'. Shibaji Chattopadhay is a well known Rabindra Sangeet artiste, but he has also sung for many leading composers in Bengal. Together they form an unforgettable jugalbandi and promise to make the Vijaya Dashami evening a memorable one. The evening finishes off with a 3 Course Dinner arranged by Three Saints Hotel. Supported by 7

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IN LOVING MEMORY SITANGSU PALIT (1936 2010) Born in Beharampur, Orissa, India and known simply as Palit to the many who knew him. Sitangsu was at his happiest socialising with good friends, sharing good food - and enjoying the music he loved. He came to Cardiff from India in the 1950's - intending to study Mining and return home - but Cardiff became his home and he never looked back. He married Jennifer, whom he met while as a student in Cardiff. He loved his adopted country - although work wasn't all he'd hoped for. His career as a mining engineer never really enthralled him, but he enjoyed the camaraderie of the pits - even if the deafening noise underground eventually robbed him of his hearing a little. But that was just a job - his life was his friends, his family and more latterly his grandsons. He was also proud of his work with the Puja Committee. For him, that link with his other home - his other culture, kept his identity alive. Dancing and Diwali - not in Calcutta but Caerphilly, he liked a lot. His association with Wales Puja Committee started soon after it was formed in the early 80 s, as a Treasurer, the Chairperson and later becoming everyone s Palitda. Soft spoken but firm. He'll always be remembered and missed by all who knew him across South Wales. SAMIR BHOWMICK (1941-2010) Born in the Kumilla district of Bengal, India (now in Bangladesh). Samirda came to UK as a student in 1959 to study accountancy. Following his graduation from Cardiff University, worked as an accountant in Cardiff as he became a part of a small growing Hindu Bengali community in the city. His entrepreneurship led to opening Cardiff s first licensed bar and restaurant in St Mary Street in Cardiff in 1968 and two Indian restaurants and Indian boutique shop in 1970-71. He got married to Mitra in 1972 and finally settled as an accountant in 1980 with a prospering office and clientele in Cardiff. And surroundings/ He was involved in giving advice and assistance to many students and visitors from West Bengal and Bangladesh new to UK. He was an excellent cook and had real knack for gourmet cooking and during many of our festivals he was our guide in the Kitchen. His quiet mannerism was very well known amongst all members of Wales Puja committee. His involvement with WPC goes back to early 1980 s. He served the committee as treasurer and advised us on many matters (especially financial) over the years. We will all miss him and remember him as a close friend, loving member and above all an excellent human being 9

Chairman s Message -2010 Once again the Wales Puja Committee prepares to celebrate our annual festival of Durga Puja and Kali Puja. The WPC has over the past many years brought to you the celebration of Durga Puja with enormous effort and selfless commitment. It is the time pending upon the end of the year when the summer draws to a close, best giving the atmosphere of a festive mood. For the last 37 years the WPC has maintained this sacred tradition through constant honour, worship, adoration and most importantly devotion. This is the time to care and share, to love and be loved here again. Over the years we have developed a very mature community extending and participating in various social, cultural and charitable work. Following the success of last years Making of Durga project, the WPC has built up a very close relationship with The Art Council of Wales and St. Fagan s Museum of Welsh Life. Without their support and help, it would not have been possible to complete the project. At this point, I would like to mention that the Puja committee has a big financial commitment to continue to make this festival viable. It is only through your continued support and generous donations that this is made possible. I would personally like to thank all the members who through their enthusiastic participation, organisation and much appreciated assistance, make the WPC a remarkable success. I also wish to thank on behalf of WPC to Mr. Kar for keeping our Pratima and Peter Goodridge for transportation. Finally I would like to offer my much obliged thanks to our priests; Dr Acharya, Mr Chatterjee and Mr Misra, who are always at the heart of the Puja and make the event possible. Wishing you all the very best for Puja and Happy Vijoya! Dr Sankar Das Chairperson 10

Secretary s Message Welcome to the Sarbojanin Durgotsab 2010 organised by the Wales Puja Committee in South Wales. This is the 37th year of our autumn festival. I welcome one and all to partake in the worship of Maa Durga with the same devotion as we have had in the years gone by. One of the most salient aspects of all our events is the very welcoming family atmosphere. Please bring along friends and family and feel free to get involved in all our activities. Rich cultural activities and events have always been part of the WPC Durga Puja traditions. Last year it was further enriched by fantastic performances by a group of children. I would like to thank the children, their parents and most of all Raktima Bhadra-Sarkar for having spent so much of time and effort in preparing the children. Raktima is going to present some more events this year with the children. This year we have other events like art competitions for children and a carrom tournament. Sounds like fun! We also have an evening of music on Dashami as part of Bijoya Sammelani. Arundhati Holme- Chowdhury and Shibaji Chattopadhyay, who are eminent singers from Kolkata, will be performing for us. I would like to thank the Art Council for Wales for supporting us in arranging this event. I would like to thank all the executive committee members for all their hard work over the past year. I would like to thank Mr Chatterjee and Mr Misra for conducting our Pujas and to Dr Acharya for all his guidance. I would also like to thank Mrs and Mr Kar for lovingly caring for the Pratima in their house. Finally I would like to thank everyone who visits our Pujas and other events and make our events successful. SHOBAIKE JANAI SHARADIYAR SHUBHECHA EBONG BHALOBASHA! (Translated: Love and best wishes for all during the festive autumn) Neeleem Saha. Secretary TREASURER S MESSAGE Following page is the account of the Committee prepared with help of Anirban and Subhas. As you can see we had significant fund raising activity after Creating Durga Project and I am grateful to the members who donated especially for the New Image. Our Dashami programme was hugely successful last year with visiting Group FOSSILS and ACW helped us financially. This year we have decided to celebrate Diwali in a new venue for better participation.any queries regarding the accounts, please forward them by e-mail to me. Dipak Kundu Treasurer dkk@ntlworld.com 11

WALES PUJA COMMITTEE Accounts 2009-10 Expenses Income Durga Puja 6618.37 8872.77 cooking help 634.00 Donations 5513.00 Entertainment/Fossils 1155.50 Donations - sweets 176.10 Fruits / Flower / Veg 455.14 Donations - Protima 257.51 groceries 1088.73 Thali money 330.16 Hall Hire/car park/cleaning 490.00 Orange Bags / Gas 146.98 Puja Sankhyas 457.00 Other exp. 44.66 Sponsorships 1100.00 printing - souvenir 600.00 Fossils night 1039.00 Printing + posting - invites 455.85 Protima transport 240.00 Puja pots & pans 156.73 Paper plates etc. 263.08 Puja Sankhyas 282.60 sweets 215.10 Taxi - Priest 90.00 3 Saints/Foods 300.00 Kali Puja 748.19 967.51 fruits/ flower / veg / 68.40 Donations 877.00 groceries 305.49 Thali Money 51.51 Hall Hire/car park/cleaning 100.00 Donations - sweets 39.00 Paper plates etc 71.30 taxi - priest 24.80 sweets 70.20 Orange bags 108.00 Diwali 1510.16 695.00 D J 500.00 Raffle 100.00 cooking help 160.00 Ticket Sales 595.00 Decoration & paper rolls 249.53 groceries 290.14 hall 100.00 lunch - volunteers 85.00 other expenses/lunch 125.49 sweets Saraswati Puja 540.13 812.00 Cooking Help / Cleaning 110.00 Donations & Pranami 772.00 Cultural programme 16.00 Donations-sweets 40.00 Decoration / hall Attendant 35.00 Fruits/Veg/Flowers/groceries 177.13 Hall Hire (including extras) 60.00 Printing + Postage - invites 72.00 Sweets 70.00 Other expenses 509.71 Events Insurance 170.00 Website Hosting 55.00 Misc 106.50 stationary etc. 55.00 Refreshments - meetings 123.21 Total 9926.56 11347.28 Total Income 11347.28 Total Expenses 9926.56 Surplus for year 1420.72 B/F - bank as on 31/08/09 6880.00 In Bank 8300.72 12

The NY Syndrome. By Dr Raja Biswas If you are thinking here s another overpaid self-deluded doctor writing about an obscure medical syndrome relax. Its not so. You are unlikely (although its possible) that you are going to come across NY Syndrome in a medical textbook. Even the veritable Google does not come near to suggesting any matches. However it s a term that most NRI Doctors, especially working in United Kingdom, are familiar with. It s often discussed with gusto when old friends meet especially when a few wee glasses of Glenfiddich is having its effect. It is simply called the Next Year Syndrome. Usually the conversation goes like this Frustrated Doc 1 So what s new boss? Frustrated Doc 2 Oh I have decided to go back to India, Aar akhana bhalo lagchay na. Frustrated Doc 1- that s great. When are you going back? Frustrated Doc 2 NEXT YEAR This conversation has a pause, as Frustrated Doc 1 starts reminiscing about life in Kolkata when the sweaty ride in 42B public bus seems more comfortable than the air-conditioned comfort he has got used to. However another year goes by and when the two meet again in another friend s house, and after a few pegs have been downed, the conversation starts; Doc 1; Ki boss, I thought you are going back to India? Doc 2; Yes, But got a Registrar post now so will definitely go back NEXT YEAR. After all who wants to bring up children in this country. This is how the conversation goes on for a few years till (Not so frustrated) doc1 & (Still frustrated doc 2) find topics like Mamata Banerjee s Industrial policy more fruitful!!!!!!! The NY syndrome usually starts 2-3 years after coming to a foreign country when there is uncertainty regarding getting the next job, the initial glamour has worn off, the lonely life in a foreign country has started taking its bite. Life in India suddenly seems more exciting and rewarding. It is compounded by poor job prospects and the xenophobia that greets immigrants in a new country. However the decision about returning to India never happens because there is always that additional year s training which is needed to prepare for life in India or that particular procedure which is a must learn to survive in minefields of private practice in India. Friends in India are consulted about the decision and they throw up their hands in horror, Why do you want to come back? Life is cutthroat here, colleagues stab you and patients always ask for a second or third opinion By the time all the procedures are learnt, roots have gone deep in the new country when NY Syndrome starts meaning Not (in a Million) years. But does the yearning about returning ever disappear. Probably not. However after spending quite a few years, life in the new country takes a different meaning. Every person who decides to stay in a foreign country has his or her own reason. The kids are growing up and the easy option is to settle into the luxury in a first world country and yearn for the family and other comforts of India. But I suspect the biggest reason for not returning and always having a plan to do so is that most, if not all, never want to believe they are never going to go back to their motherland. It gives a sense of comfort and reassurance knowing that one can go back and hope is still there. People make plans, buy houses in India, and even get their children admitted in school in India but that NY never does come for most. Conflict of interest; the author used to suffer from NY Syndrome however has recovered now. 13

The poem is written by Dipakda (Dipak Kundu), who is in Kolkata, after 30 years during pujo. We do miss his energy, dedication and devotion. 14

Fossils RUPAM in Full Flow Dashami 2009 Children s Painting Activity Children s dance programme Puja evening Some of the workers Many more Missing! 15

SCHOOL CHILDREN INSPIRED Our creating Durga from Papier mache generated considerable interest in Art project of visiting School Children from Llantwit Major Comprehensive School and resulted in a project of Making Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of learning) by school children as part of their multicultural faith project. Weeks of their sincere effort and interest resulted in this Image of goddess, which was brought in our Saraswati Puja of 2010 in Penyrheol Community Centre. School Children From Llantwit Major comprehensive 16

Subterranean Architecture. Stepwells in Western India Richard Cox Since 1993 I have been visiting India working initially as an organiser for the Wales / Rajasthan Visual Artists Exchange Programme but since then working as an artist. Over the last four visits since 2007 I have been travelling in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Midhya Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi to document Stepwells, an important aspect of Indian traditional Architecture. The first Stepwell I ever encountered was in 1993, my artist friend Ram Avatar Soni, took me to see Abhaneri Chand Baori, (illustrated lower) an exceptionally beautiful reservoir built in 825 AD and in fine condition. At this time I was unaware that there were many such structures and it was not until 1997 I saw more sites and became interested and wanted to know more. Outside India Stepwells are not well known, unlike the temples, fortresses and palaces which have been well documented by many distinguish writers and architectural historians. With the valuable assistance of friends and colleagues, the B J Institute of Learning and Research, University of Gujarat in Ahmedabad, INTACH and other organisations I have been able to document nearly 300 sites, but there are many more still to see, often hard o locate in remote desert villages. Stepwells have been constructed in stone over the last 12 centuries in India to harvest and provide access to water in the arid and desert regions especially in Rajasthan's Thar Desert and Gujarat where they can mostly be found. The construction of these wells provides access to the water by descending steps to the water level. This can be by a single shaft or by several complex approaches. The combination of groundwater and rainwater would fill the wells during the Monsoon and as the dry season progressed the water level dropped. Wells could be as deep as 9 levels from ground level, as it the case with Neemrani Ki Baori, but most Stepwells were four or five stories deep with sheltered landings at each level. The Monsoon, however, is not reliable and groundwater levels dropped leaving many wells dry. There was, for example, a recent drought in Udiapur for seven years which also dried out to the two lakes for which the city is famous. The sites I have been visiting can be divided into distinct categories based upon conditions, architectural periods and designs. The breadth of this variety is governed by a number of factors: including the regions in which they were built, their age, the geology of the locations, the level of the water table when they were constructed, the nature of the patronage under which they were commissioned, (publicly, privately, Hindi or Mogul) and their religious significance. Broadly speaking, publically accessible wells were constructed for the general good of the community. When built by royalty, rich merchants or monks, for the benefit of everyone who needed direct access to water, a crucial element in the lives of those living in desert regions. Other Wells like Panna Meena Ka Kund in Amer, close the the Amber Fort, the ancient capital of Rajasthan, was a royal well and has been recently restored by the Archaeological Survey of India (upper illustration). In addition to providing water for drinking, irrigation, washing and bathing Stepwells, provided other important functions and facilities. Descending below ground-level, sometimes to a depth of 200 feet, the ambient temperature drops, providing cool areas on the pavilion landings for travellers to rest during the intense heat of the summer (50 degree c). This provided time to socialise, worship their gods and enjoy recreational activities. 17

Panna Meena Ka Kund Most wells are adjacent to temples and the religious dimension is important, water being regarded as sacred and direct from the Ganges (symbolically). Waterborne deities often feature in the sculptures found in niches on either side of the pavilion verandas. Recreational bathing often took place, especially amongst royal families, while mourners would ritually cleanse their bodies after funerals. These social and religious aspects of the wells assisted community cohesion, something that was not well understood by the British Raj who banned their use as a health hazard in the mid 19th century, For this reason most wells are long since derelict but some are now being restored Subterranean Architecture. Stepwells in Western India is a photographic exhibition by Richard Cox that has toured Rajasthan and the UK since 2008 and has recently been shown at the Tamarind Art Gallery New York City in August 2010, prints are available from the artist. Richard Cox is the Director of Howard Gardens Gallery at Cardiff School of Art & Design. www.richard-cox.co.uk richardcox55@hotmail.com 18

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