Sahebganj, Sept. 25: Durga Puja at Robertson Club here has been swearing by tradition for 126 years.

Manoranjan Gupta, the secretary of the club, said that the Puja was started with then Sahebganj sub-divisional officer P.R. Robertson as patron.

According to him, the British officer who had influenced the culture of the Bengali community first made them establish a club and then organise the Puja. He also donated two separate plots of land for constructing the club building and the place of Puja through registered deeds.

“During his lifetime, our ancestors set up the club in the name of Robertson and even after so many years, we haven’t changed the name of the club. We are following tradition. Rituals are performed just like old times,” Gupta claimed.

According to club president Jaga Bandhu Das, the Puja organisers used to follow the rituals very minutely.

Since the founders of the club and the Puja here were Bengalis from the Vaishnava clan, the rituals followed are also of the Vaishnavas.

Instead of sacrifice of animals on Saptami, Ashtami and Nabami, vegetables and fruits, are offered to the deity. Besides, bhog and pulao with different delicacies prepared with vegetables are also offered to the goddess, said Uttam Kumar Saha, a member of the club.

The Puja is performed with contributions made by members of the club. Heavy donations also come from former members.