A Metro guide to understanding and enjoying Ashtami 2009 better.
What is today’s ritual?
Kumari puja is one of the attractions of Ashtami. A little girl is bathed, dressed in new clothes, adorned with flowers and worshipped as the goddess. Then there is Sandhi puja, performed over the last 24 minutes of Ashtami and the first 24 minutes of Navami. Durga is worshipped in her ferocious Chandi avatar during this time. An ox or goat is to be sacrificed at the exact juncture of Ashtami-Navami to appease the Goddess, but vegetables like pumpkin, chal kumra and lau will also do.
Sandhi puja is from 11.08pm to 11.56pm (Bisuddhasiddhanta almanac); 11.44pm to 12.32am on Sunday (Gupta Press).
When is pushpanjali?
Ashtami puja has to be performed between 6.58am and 9.28am (Gupta Press) and 6.59am and 9.29am (Bisuddhasiddhanta). The pushpanjali is held after completion of the puja. Ashtami is on till 11.32pm (Bisuddhasiddhanta) and 12.08am on Sunday (Gupta Press).
Where to go?
This is the big day so be prepared for the crowds — everywhere. If you find Metro too stuffy and sweaty (2pm to 6pm, 10 minutes frequency; 6pm to 10pm, 8 minutes; 10pm to midnight, 10 minutes; midnight to 2am, 15 minutes; 2am to 4am, 20 minutes) be a braveheart and drive around.
What to do?
No Ashtami is complete without an adda session. Take time out and visit your para pandal and indulge in some no-holds-barred adda.
What to wear?
Go traditional — a colourful Dhakai or chiffon sari paired with a choli blouse to brighten up a dull grey day. Men, don embroidered dhotis and bandhgalas to (try and) match up to the pretty ladies.
What to eat?
Offer anjali and then queue up for the traditional khichudi bhog at the pandal. Volunteer to serve bhog. Strapping young men in crisp pyjama-panjabi sweating it out with buckets of steaming khichudi.... Think Saif in Parineeta. Yummy!
Worth a watch:
Glam girls in their Ashtami best at Maddox Square and Ballygunge Cultural.
Worth a miss:
Boys strutting around in tight tees as if to welcome Salman Wanted Khan to town.
