Durga Puja 2022: Nabadwip's Chandra Bari Puja turns 140 years; check out their unique tradition

As Lord Vishnu is the family deity of the Chandras, all rituals are performed per Vaishnav customs, as mentioned by the family priest Mr Sujit Bhattacharya. The Durga Maa idol is made by the same family who has been there for five generations.  

Photo Courtesy: Nabadwip's Chandra Bari Pujo

When Babu Nilmoni Chandra, a reputed Jeweller from Nabadwip, started his family Durga Puja in the year 1883, he made sure that every major item of worship should be 24 in number. Little did he know almost 140 years later, this unique tradition would continue and perplex worshippers to date, as no family member knows why the number 24 was chosen. 

Some say it has a clue to some hidden family treasure, while to others, it traces its origin to the time of the start of the Family Puja. The Chandras of Ramsitapara, the Nabadwip merchant family, have kept all the traditions of their family puja at their ancestral palatial home to date. 

There is no Rice Bhog in the Chandra Bari Puja; instead, every day of the Puja Maa Durga is offered 24 Luchis, 24 Alubhaja and 24 Rossogollas. 

Even Maa Durga proceeds for her Visarjan  (Immersion) ceremony on the shoulders of 24 pallbearers, even today. Babu Nilmoni Chandra’s 6th Generation descendant Mr Sushobhan Chandra and his wife Mrs Parul Chandra, told us that traditions are essential to their Puja. 

The Goddess Durga Maa idol was sculpted by the same family who has been there for 5 generations. Artist Debashish Pal who is the 5th generational idol maker said in line with the customs, the Paat Pujo (Worship ceremony of the jute and bamboo used in the making of the basic structure for the idols) is performed on Jagannath Rathayatra.

On Dwitiya, a day after Mahalaya, which was on September 25 this year, Maa Durga ascends on her throne. Till today, . the Goddess rides on a lion whose face resembles a celestial Unicorn. Also, it is seen that the artists sculpt all the ornaments of the Goddess from clay rather than artificial items. This art has been handed over from generation to generation by idol makers.

As Lord Vishnu is the family deity of the Chandras, all rituals are performed per Vaishnav customs mentioned by the family priest Mr Sujit Bhattacharya.

The erstwhile custom started by Babu Nilmoni Chandra of feeding the hungry continues even today with the rising costs as the family members and the current generation led by Subhayan Chandra have set up a corpus fund for the Puja to which family members across the globe contribute. Live performances by popular musicians, Sushobhan Chandra's students and enthusiasts can be experienced on all four days of Durga Puja. 

Today, in Nabadwip's Chandra Bari Pujo, you will find traditional and classical music, which has become an essential part of the rituals as Sushobhan Chandra himself is a classical musician and is seen performing at the mandap adjoining the courtyard.