Date:07/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/07/stories/2008100758160200.htm

Kerala - Kochi

Spirit of Bengal comes alive in city

Staff Reporter

— Photo: Vipin Chandran

NOSTALGIC MOMENT: Durga Puja celebrations by the Keral Banga Sanskriti Sangha in the city on Monday.

KOCHI: Durga Puja, according to K. Narayana Kurup, former acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, is an occasion to invoke the blessings of Goddess Durga “to give us enough strength to conquer our inner enemies that include ego, greed, anger and hatred”.

Inaugurating the Durga Puja celebrations organised by the Keral Banga Samskriti Sangha here, Mr. Narayana Kurup said that “we must realise that the evil is not only on the outside, but also from within us”. “These inner enemies are as powerful and deadly as any of the external enemies like demons and asuras,” he said.

Stating that Ravana had everything one would need to be happy, Mr. Narayana Kurup said, “we are demons, if our hearts are filled with lust and anger”.

“It was Ravana’s anger, greed and lust that led to his ruin. He was arrogant, egoistic, greedy and lustful. In essence, this is the difference between Rama and Ravana as we celebrate the festival,” he said.

Mr. Narayana Kurup said Durga Puja is not a mere festival about Lord Rama or Goddess Durga. “It is a day for self-introspection”.

Explaining that there were many similarities between Bengalis and Malayalis, M.V. Thomas, managing director of NIFE, who spoke on the occasion, said that the sentiments of both the communities were almost the same.

“Hartals and bandhs are common for both Kerala and West Bengal. The influence of the Left is also strong in both the States,” he said.

Stating that both the States were similar in losing out opportunities for development, Mr. Thomas said the States have missed out several development plans despite having a surplus of talent pool. But he reminded the audience that a Bengali would never be out of place in Kerala.

Representatives of Keral Banga Samskriti Sangh said that various cultural programmes will be held as part of the Navaratri celebrations.

A music nite featuring Hindi and Malayalam songs by a professional orchestra group will be held on Tuesday. Children and youngsters would have a great day on Wednesday. Cultural programmes by the association members would be staged in the open on October 9. The Durga idol will be taken in a procession to the Naval base for immersion on October 10.

The sacred water in which the idol is immersed will be taken back to Rabindra Bhavan at Kadavanthra and sprinkled over the devotees.