Mangaldai Oct 6: Durga Puja celebrations have just ended in the state. The devotees bid a tearful adieu to Goddess Durga while observing Bijoya Dashami on Wednesday. There are a few Durga Puja celebrations which are not simply a celebration of the festival but rather have a history in itself.
Observing "Dar Puja" following the rituals of Bijoya Dashami by the Royal Koch family here is one such historic event.
It has a special significance in the traditionally celebrated Royal Durga Puja since it symbolizes the worship of power or strength .
Though Durga Puja has been celebrated separately at three "Howli"s—Gakhir-Khowa Raja Howli, Dangar Raja Howli, and Mohanpur Howli, of the Royal Koch dynasty with more than four hundred years of tradition since the rule of king Boli Narayan and "Dar Puja" has been celebrated only at the Mohanpur Howli campus.
Like the previous years, " Dar Puja" is celebrated at Mohanpur Howli in the afternoon of Bijoya Dashami with religious pomp and traditional gaiety.
" Most of the members of our Royal family, including our senior members, Samarendra Narayan Deb , Trailokya Narayan Deb, and Prasenjit Narayan Deb, have taken part in the celebration.", said Anuj Narayan Deb , a young member of the Royal dynasty, while speaking to The Assam Tribune.
"Dar Puja" in the Darrangi colloquial dialect means, "worship of arms and ammunition" and hence it is connected to offering prayers to the metallic arms and ammunition that were earlier used in warfare and are now preserved by the Royal family.
"At present, the very existence of our Royal Koch family could be judged only by the Durga Puja celebration in traditional means, and the Dar Puja is an integral part of this historic affair." Deb opined.
In the Dar Puja celebration, there is the tradition of worshipping the instruments of warfare in addition to the golden crown and pots on the top of the victory bars.
However, with the changing times and due to security grounds , the rituals are observed rather in a symbolic manner. Prayers are offered only to the historic piece of the sharp small knife called "Khanjari" or " Khukri" presented to Bir Chilarai, the ever powerful commander of the Royal Koch soldiers by the then King of Gour kingdom," the young Royal member added.
It may be mentioned here that the "Dar Puja" has been observed in the residential campus of the Royal family away from the main pandal of the Durga Puja celebration .