By Ritam Das 27-05-2020
One of the best things about IISERs is cultural exposure. For a campus that celebrates Lohri and Onam with equal zeal, Saraswati puja is no exception. From freshmen to post-docs, everyone comes together, on the day of Vasant Panchami, to celebrate the Goddess of Knowledge, art and culture.
The event is organized primarily by the Bengalis on campus, though in essence, it transcends culture and religion. The excitement starts long before the Puja, with the events being planned and committees being formed. It is usually the first years who get the responsibility of going from door to door for collecting contributions. A cultural committee is set up separately for coordinating the cultural program. From ordering the idol to planning out the decorations to having rehearsals for the cultural evening, everyone has their hands full.
The real fun begins on the day before the Puja. It starts with going on a minitruck to bring the idol to the hostel complex. With the idol in the room, the celebration mood kicks in. Pulling each others’ legs and working hand in hand, people stay up all night making rangolis, paintings and decorating the puja room.
The puja takes place in the morning. Bengalis wear their traditional kurta-pyjama and almost everyone on campus dresses up. The faculty and other staff come to visit the puja place. At the end of the Puja, the prasad is served. We rush through our labs and classes eagerly waiting for nightfall. In the evening we have a Bengali themed cultural program in which both Bengalis and non-Bengalis take part alike.
Another attraction is the special Bengali dinner that is made for everyone on campus. The delicious platter with all delicacies is bound to make any Bengali homesick. Conforming to stereotype, the dinner has its share of desserts.
As the night grows, the crowd thins and after a long fun-filled day, people finally rest. We look back at all the things that went right and wrong and the fun that we had in organizing such a grand event. At the end of the day, we go to bed with smiles looking forward to an even grander next year.
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