Indian dirga puja festival in Winnipeg

TOPE ORIOLA STAFF

Winnipeg had a taste of India’s rich cultural and religious heritage earlier this month. The occasion was the Durga Puja festival, a Hindu ceremony that included over 2,000 Indians in Winnipeg, including an estimated 50 Bengalis families.

Durga Puja, according to Swati Mandal-Ghosh who is a graduate student in sociology at the University of Manitoba, is a worship of strength: the strength of the soul of every human being. It is believed that Durga, whose four children help in achieving wealth, education, arts and beauty, among other things, visits her worshippers every year. This period in the Hindu calendar falls within late September and early October in the Christian calendar.

The Hindu temple on Ellice Avenue was superbly decorated with precious metals. The brilliant lighting complemented the temple’s aesthetic splendour. As customary, everyone sat on the carpet as the event proceeded. There would be no social inequality here.

The event was attended by huge numbers of people, Indians and non- Indians, from within and outside Winnipeg. On resplendent display were rich Indian attires made of the finest linens, colourful, exotic veils, carefully crafted embroidery and Indian hospitality. Of course, Indian women turned out in their majestic world-historical beauty and made you think of getting married sooner than later.

Worshippers took time out to pay obeisance to their deities and engage in animated conversations with others. There was no denying the sense of community and belonging. Anyone whose only knowledge about India was of its dreaded caste system would be amazed at how freely people mingled with others. Hence, I asked Prabal Ghosh, a PhD student in biosystems engineering at the U of M, if the caste system still existed. He said the system could still be found in villages, but that this is changing. Chanda Bhan Singh, a doctoral candidate in the same department at the U of M, stated that “we don’t know anyone’s caste here.”

Everyone I spoke with described Winnipeg people as very welcoming and enjoined Hindus to adapt to life here. Swati Mandal-Ghosh urges all Hindus to “continue the culture.” The event which has been celebrated for more than 20 years in Winnipeg continues next year. As they say in Bengalis: “namaskar.”