London Sharad Utsav, the pujo at Ealing Townhall has been voted the most popular this year amongst visitors. While durga puja at Camden Town centre continues to be the centre of glamour and star attractions, especially for its connection with the steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, but people visiting have claimed that it has become quite impersonal, resulting into more and more people dispersing to other pujos in and around London. Howeever the wet and cold weather could not dampen Bengali spirits, who made sure to enjoy the weekend to their utmost.
Rumia, a visitor at the Ealing pujo with husband, a toddler and friends said, "I used to be a regular visitor of the Camden pujo every year. But this year I found that it has become very impersonal. London Sharad Utsav is very homely. Hence I have been frequenting it this year"
Another visitor, 30 years old Suchira said, "I am a bit disappointed with the ice cold khichuri bhog they served us at the Ealing pujo on Saturday 4th October. I wasn't planning to go to the Camden pujo this year, but unfortunately had to drag my friends there. Just for the sake of some 'gorom (warm) khichudi bhog'."
25 years old Sourav, who has recently moved to London said, "I went to the pujo at Bethnal Green by Sanaton Association this year. My first. Loved it". Sanaton Association is a Bangladeshi Hindu community organisation set up in 1983. It currently has a membership of nearly 900 people and is the only Hindu organisation in Tower Hamlets area, that has a very high population of Bangladeshi Muslims living. The association serving the Hindu community for the last 30 years.
Panchamukhee durga utsav, held at Harrow Arts Centre, is very well known for its cultural activities. Panchamukhee, a non profit organisation was founded in London in 2006 by a group of like minded enthusiasts. The key objectives of Panchamukhee are to promote the arts and cultural heritage of the Indian subcontinent and explore how different people and cultures can work together in todays multicultural UK. On 5th October it had Spondon presenting an evening filled with Bollywood music and dance, paying a special tribute to R D Burman- Bengalis' Panchamda.
Mohini, a local around Mitcham visited South London Durga puja. Impressed with all the festivities, she thinks this is one of the best pujos in South London. While this year in most of London's venues, pujo started from October 2nd, South London Durga puja stuck to the original time schedule, with pujo starting from Tuesday 30th September. This is one of the longest running Durga pujo in the area.
Kamal, who went to the Tooting Duga puja with family, said it was the best pujo around their area. Started from September 30th, the organisers made sure the puja timings coincided with the actual dates in India. Tooting Durga Puja is a landmark of an Asian Charity Organisation based in the heart of Tooting, South London. It started celebrating Durga Puja since the year 1987 with a handful of inspiring and active Bengalis which has now grown to a mammoth shape involving hundreds of people. This year it was celebrated at the Jasmins Banqueting Hall at Upper Tooting Road.
Most of the pujos finished with 'sidoor (vermillion) khela' on Sunday morning, as married women in white and red sarees enjoyed the old tradition, and children sneaked in that last ladoo before they go back to school after a weekend full of fun.
