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Durga Puja celebrates the return of Goddess Durga to her father’s home after a hiatus of about a year .However she does not come alone, she comes flanked by two sons and two daughters. Kolkata celebrates this homecoming with great pomp and splendor. However there are 6 pujas celebrated every year which are known to be
heritage pujas. Let us take a look at these pujas and what makes them so special.

1) Rani Rashmoni family Durga Puja:
The Durga Puja at the Janbazar residence of Rani Rashmoni was originally started by the Rani’s father-in-law Babu Pritaram Marh (Das) in 1974. Currently, this Puja is being held at 13, Rani Rashmoni Road. It is at the courtyard of this house where Sri Ramkrishna Paramahansa Deb used to conduct Durga Puja.

2) Sovanbazar Rajbari Durga Puja:
More than 250 years old , the SovanbazarRajbari Puja was started by Raja Nabakrishna Deb. Historical records show that the Puja would even see the British lords and ladies gracing it with their presence. One of the specialties of the puja is its Mithaai Bhog (prasadam). While the Sovabazar Rajbari had the tradition of flying Nilkantha birds on Dashami, after this was forbidden by the Wildlife Preservation Act, they started immersing clay models of the bird along with the Durga idols.

3) Thanthatia family Durga Puja:
A must visit Durga Puja in Kolkata; the Goddess here is not worshipped in her ten-armed rudra or fierce form, but in the Hara-Gouri form. Goddess Parvati can be seen sitting on the lap of Lord Shiva peacefully displaying Abhaya and Varada Mudra. The Durga Puja was started in 1855 by Dwarakanath Dutta.

4) Chatu Babu Latu Babu Family’s Durga Puja:
A crimson hued grand building on Beadon Street in North Kolkata celebrates one of the oldest Durga Pujas in Kolkata. Started in 1770 by Ishwar Ram Dulal Deb (Sarkar), the Goddess is decorated with family heirlooms and ornaments that include a dazzling ‘Naulakha Necklace”. Furthermore, the Goddess is flanked by her companions Jaya and Biyaja

5) Sabarna Roy Choudhary Family Durga Puja:
It was from this family that the British East India Company acquired the villages of Sutanuti, Govindapur and Kalkata, which later consolidated into what became the city of Calcutta (Kolkata). While the Durga Puja conducted here has broken up into different branches, the most famous one is the family’s Atchala Pujo dating back to 1610, which is also the oldest in the city.

6) Purnendu Chandra Dhar Family Durga Puja
Not far from the Badan Chandra Roy family home is the house of Purnendu Chandra Dhar’s family. This Vaishnav household does not worship Maa Durga in her demon-slaying pose. Instead, she is worshipped here as Abhaya Ma. The seated idol has two hands instead of ten. At her feet are two seated lions. Maa is surrounded by her children and her hand maidens. The Pujo is 157 years old in all but was not performed in this building for a while when the building was ransacked during the 1946 riots and the family had to seek shelter elsewhere.

These 6 pujas have come down in history as some of the most grand and celebrated pujas . For anyone visiting Kolkata during the festive season these pujas are a must to visit.

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