ASANSOL. The family Durga Puja of Banerjee Bari in Baikunthpur, East Burdwan, is 500 years old. Durga Puja has been taking place here since before the reign of Sher Shah. Goddess Jayadurga is worshipped according to tantra. During Sandhi Puja, the sankalpa is taken in the name of Maharaja Kirti Chand of Burdwan. The Durga idol, seated on a 'Panchamundi' seat, is not immersed. The goddess has four arms and her complexion is bright yellow. She is not accompanied by Lakshmi, Saraswati, Karthik, or Ganesh. The demon Mahishasura near her feet is green in color. Her mount, the lion, resembles a white horse. Throughout the year, she is offered bhog twice a day, and after the evening meal, cold food is offered. Non-vegetarian food is very essential in the पूजा. Fish is a must in daily meals, and on Mahashtami, a special bhog of Mangur fish is offered.
According to family member Manas Banerjee, after the daily worship in the temple, the goddess is adorned at a specific time. The ancestors of the Banerjee family were accomplished tantriks. They had come here from Varanasi or Kashi. They built a hut by the river and established the Panchamundi seat. Tantric sadhana began. The then Maharaja Kirti Chand of Burdwan had a dream of the goddess. The Maharaja donated land to the saint. A temple was built on that land and the goddess was installed. The worship is conducted in the old tantric way. This year, a new idol has been made and installed in the style of the old idol. Many miraculous stories related to this puja are spread across the village and the entire area. On one Ashtami morning, despite much searching, Mangur fish could not be found anywhere. When everyone in the family was worried about offering the bhog, a woman from Bagdipara brought a live Mangur fish. She said she had not caught the fish. An unknown old woman came and gave her the fish with instructions to deliver it to the puja. The Jayadurga Puja of Baikunthpur has been passed down from generation to generation.
