An over 350-year-old Durga Bari in Kolkata’s Behala celebrates Maa’s birthday on Vishwakarma Puja every year — it was on the day of this festival that the golden idol here was consecrated over a century ago. But that is not all.
The Sonar Durga Bari has a history brimming with fascinating tales of perseverance, love and devotion, with a touch of royalty.
It all started with a gravely ill Jagatram Mukhopadhyay, a member of a royal family from Barrackpore, being presumed dead and abandoned along the banks of the Ganges, said Indrajit Mukherjee, a member of the 30th generation of the Mukhopadhyay family, who now performs most rituals at the temple.
According to stories passed on through generations, a daughter of the Haldar family in Barrackpore rescued Jagatram and nursed him back to health. The two later got married and moved to Behala, where Jagatram built the house that came to be known as Sonar Durga Bari, located at 56, Brahmo Samaj Road, Behala.
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Their daughter, Jagattarini Devi, once humiliated while visiting a relative’s household to participate in their family’s Durga Puja, insisted that her father start a puja of their own.
It was Ashtami that day, marking the beginning of the annual Durga Puja at Sonar Durga Bari. Since the tithi for Sandhi Puja had already passed, the household has never observed that particular ritual. Though all other customs, including arati, pushpanjali, balidan, and kumari puja, continue to this day.
Years later, Mukhopadhyay’s great-grandson, Jadunath Mukherjee, a magistrate in colonial India, replaced the family’s clay idol with a permanent one. He installed an ashtadhatu (a sacred alloy of eight metals) idol, crafted by Bangladeshi artisans and inspired by Dhakeshwari Devi in Dhaka.
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Jadunath named it Jagattarini Sonar Durga in honour of his ancestor. Over time, the deity came to be popularly known as Sonar Durga. The chaalchitro here features Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Saraswati, Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartik. It is believed that this Puja is as old as the Durga Puja of Dakshineshwar.
Sonar Durga Bari has a courtyard leading to the inner sanctuary where the Goddess is enshrined. Indrajit Mukherjee himself performs the morning and evening aratis every day.
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During Durga Puja every year, Bodhon takes place on Panchami, while the Goddess dons her warrior attire, Adhibas, on Saptami. Each day has its own offerings — khichuri in the morning, annabhog (rice offering) in the afternoon, and cold food, including luchi, in the evening. On Dashami, pantabhat (fermented rice), fried fish, fish broth and chaltar tok (a tangy chutney made with elephant apple) are offered.
Though the family has no written records of their history, they have preserved as many customs as possible across generations.
Former cricketer Sourav Ganguly, Indrajit said, is a distant relative of the Mukhopadhyay family, and sends his offerings during Puja every year.
A part of the ancestral home is now being commercially promoted since the maintenance of the 350-year-old residential structure is becoming increasingly difficult with each passing day.