But in our home, I have observed that Durga shora (see the pic) usually used for Lakshmi puja. Lakshmi Shora / Paut usually has Ma Lakshmi in the center with Jaya – Vijaya on side. In our homes, usually Ma Lakshmi is worshiped in form of “shora” or “paut”, a red color clay disc on which images of goddess are painted by the artists.
Shora / Clay Disc For Kojagiri Lakshmi Puja – It was also the time for bonhomie, get together, music and time to get indulge in huge feast platter. The preparation would be started a week before, guest would be invited, the entire clan would be assembled and this one day was much more than religious rituals.
Hailing from such family, I had heard stories from my Ma and grandma about elaborate preparations they used to do during Lakshmi puja in Dhaka. Interestingly, this is another time when the cultural attributes of each of the Bengali community is very much on display, while ghoti households worships Ma Lakshmi in form of idol, kojagari lakshmi pujo in bangal household altogether holds a different meaning. And it would be interesting to know how the partition of Bengal, the refugee problems and economic marginalization has contributed to so much of this differences.įast forward to Seventy years later, this divide has become obsolete now almost and once popularized by East Bengal community, Kojagari Lakshmi puja is well adopted by everyone beyond the borders. The stark differences in linguistic and cultural attributes had led to the “great ghoti-bangal divide”. Through which strive for cultural identity could be established amidst the natives. This was more about sticking onto one’s cultural heritage and traditions. The autumn festivity that had started with Durga Pujo, concludes with another much awaited Lakshmi pujo or more precisely Kojagari Lakshmi pujo for Bengali, that falls on Kojagari purnima or sharad purnima as known elsewhere in other parts of India.īut for Bengali’s, especially those who hails from erstwhile East Bengal (present day Bangladesh) this kojagari Lakshmi pujo was just more than religious observance.