Sir the latest from Delhi.
Today being the 8th Day of Durga Puja, after taking bath and putting on new dress, I went to offer Puspanjali at an East Delhi Middle class locality Puja. At around 12 noon, while the Morning Prayer services were over, there was poetry competition for small kids. I found that all the participants mostly students of Class 2, 3 and 4, recited the poems in English. Although the management of this particular Puja pandal is mostly in the hands of Bengalis, the participants were from all States including West Bengal.
There was not a single child to participate in Bengali or Hindi.
Last evening on the 7th Day of the Puja, after finishing office I went to see the deity at a Govt Colony Puja Pandal in Central New Delhi. A banner proclaimed that the Puja at that place is being held since 1945.The entry was regulated by an armed contingent of the Delhi Police and entry was through metal detector frames. All fine so far, the deity was expensively decorated and there was no dearth of devotees.
However, as part of the Puja Celebrations I found that several food stalls have been opened by reputed restaurants of the city within the complex. Being Navaratri the expectation was that all food will be vegetarian. I was totally wrong, there was hardly any vegetarian food and the main crowed was for Hydrabadi Mutton Beriyani, Kiev Cutlet, Fish Fry and Chicken Cutlet.
This is just to inform the experts of this forum, some of whom are presently abroad and some being in India may be too busy to observe such small things. My insignificant piece of information may help in the final analysis..
Today being the 8th Day of Durga Puja, after taking bath and putting on new dress, I went to offer Puspanjali at an East Delhi Middle class locality Puja. At around 12 noon, while the Morning Prayer services were over, there was poetry competition for small kids. I found that all the participants mostly students of Class 2, 3 and 4, recited the poems in English. Although the management of this particular Puja pandal is mostly in the hands of Bengalis, the participants were from all States including West Bengal.
There was not a single child to participate in Bengali or Hindi.
Last evening on the 7th Day of the Puja, after finishing office I went to see the deity at a Govt Colony Puja Pandal in Central New Delhi. A banner proclaimed that the Puja at that place is being held since 1945.The entry was regulated by an armed contingent of the Delhi Police and entry was through metal detector frames. All fine so far, the deity was expensively decorated and there was no dearth of devotees.
However, as part of the Puja Celebrations I found that several food stalls have been opened by reputed restaurants of the city within the complex. Being Navaratri the expectation was that all food will be vegetarian. I was totally wrong, there was hardly any vegetarian food and the main crowed was for Hydrabadi Mutton Beriyani, Kiev Cutlet, Fish Fry and Chicken Cutlet.
This is just to inform the experts of this forum, some of whom are presently abroad and some being in India may be too busy to observe such small things. My insignificant piece of information may help in the final analysis..