When that lady from the topmost floor of 33/2 Beadon Street (Bholanath Dham) had told us that she, in her childhood, had seen Bijoya Sengupta (my Thamma's Mejdi) who used to visit the house during Durga Puja, I never knew which Durga Puja this was! Then she asked us to visit the house during the Pujas as that is the time when the few senior members who are still around gather there. They might be able to share many old stories with us was what she tried to say. Yes, that is the time when these old joint families have all their relatives visiting them, I thought! Earlier, when we first entered the courtyard, the first thing that caught my eye was the "AaTchala" or the background frame of the idols. Wrapped in a few polythene sheets, it was kept in a way as if it had just been dragged out of a corner. Despite so many Puja references, who would have known that this was THE "Bholanath Dutt-BaRi-r Pujo".. the Puja that had been continued by Balaram Dutt's descendant Bholanath in Varanasi and by Bholanath's descendants first in Shovabazar and then for the last 88-89 years at 33/2 Beadon Street!
Now I remember that prior to Sokal Sokal, I had written another article on this Puja for Shankar da in 2009.
Some clippings about this Puja at 33/2 Beadon Street, Bholanath Dham:
"Duttabari, Beadon Street: Shiva-samanwita Durga is worshipped at the Dutta household, Bholanath Dham, as well. Neither does she carry weapons nor is she accompanied by her mount or the warring asura.
The 101-year-old puja carries on the tradition of the legendary sea merchant Chand Saudagar, a worshipper of Shankar Bhabani. The actual image was conceived by another forefather Dhanapati Saudagar, also belonging to the kulin Gandhabanik clan.
A twist in fortunes caused the puja to stop. But Bholanath Dutta, an ancestor, revived the puja in 1905 in Varanasi."
"BHOLANATH DUTTA BARIR PUJO
Address
33/2, Beadon Street (Alias Abhedananda Road)
(From Manikatala crossing whilst going towards Shyambazar, Beadon Street falls just after the crossing on the right. Beadon street has been divided and renamed as Abhedananda Road upto Bidhan Sarani and then till Rabindra Sarani it has been renamed as Dani Ghosh Lane)
At the Kulin Gandhabanik Dutta household, Bholanath Dham the idol of Durga is sitting on Shiva’s Lap with no weapons or Vahana and no Mahishashur around. This is a legendary idol visualized by one of legendary Merchants of history Dhanapati Saudagar, also belonging to the kulin Gandhabanik clan. Bholanath Dutta started this Shiva Durga Puja idol in 1905 at Bholanath Ashram of Varansai. His sons continued the Puja till 1913 after Bholanath’s death and then eventually shifted it to Sovabazar at Calcutta and finally to the residence at Beadon Street."
