For us Bengalis, Durga Puja is the favorite time of the year. The brilliant blue autumn sky, with fluffy clouds sprinkled on it, looks like a dream. The fragrance of Siuli flower on dew covered early morning speaks of Maa’s impending arrival.

The excitement, of course, builds by the day, a drumroll preparing for the grandstand finish.

I often feel that Durga Puja is a canvas of nostalgia, the chef-d'œuvre of our childhood that we continue to add colours to as we grow older. Yet, it’s the hues from the bygone era that shine the brightest, effortlessly transporting us to the yonder days.

The laughter with friends, the Pandel hopping with loved ones, the crisp smell of new clothes. The Addas, the food, the festivities. When you wished, time and again, that the earth would stop revolving and you could preserve that moment forever.

Puja has changed over the years, yet there are facets of the occasion that still make us feel young. Sometimes, it's the fragrance of the dhoop dhuna that takes us back to the days of our youth. Sometimes, a particular rhythm of the Dhaak, or even the sight of the younger generation having a ball works as a time machine.

Yet nothing turns back the wheels of time for me like the Puja Barshiki.

For as long as I can remember, the Sharod Sankhyas of our favorite magazines were an integral part of the festivities. We grew up feasting on Anandamelas and Sukhtaras, gorging on the stories and comics, lying on our tummies in pleasant Autumn afternoons, turning page after page in glee.

Shirshendu Mukhopadhyaya’s slapstick comedy, Sanjib Chattopadhyay’s humour, Narayan Debnath’s comics, Satyajit Ray's Feluda, and so many more, filled up our lives. As we turned the pages with the faint beats of the Dhaak in the background, multiple worlds opened up in our minds.

Years later, the excitement of the Puja Barshiki remains undiminished. Along with the fabled Kaash Ful, it is perhaps the first announcement that Maa Durga is on her way. Sitting far away from home, the Puja Barshiki also marks the beginning of festivities for me.

Thanks to the advent of the virtual marketplace, Anandamela Puja Barshiki 1432 has reached my table a few days earlier. It makes me feel a little more connected to my birthplace, to the Bengali in me. The one who yearns for a feel of home far away from home.

Anadamela Puja Barshiki 1432 marks the onset of Durga Puja 2025

While I was disappointed to find that Feluda comics haven’t been included this year, there’s still plenty to be pleased about. Shirshendu Babu and Sanjib Babu have graced the pages, while Sunil Gangopadhyay’s Ondhokarer Bondhu has been transformed into comics. The trademark Rappa Ray is present as well.

I started, as has been the norm for many years, with Satyajit Ray, because Durga Puja is incomplete without the maestro’s writings. Although Feluda is missing, Ray’s short story, Neel Atanka, has been converted into comics, and has been done so very well.

I went through the three graphic stories pretty fast, and have now started Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay’s Chokhkhulojja. For the next month, the evenings will be spent going through the pages, reading old stories and new, and rediscovering a piece of my childhood.

That, perhaps, is what makes the Puja Barshikis so special.

Durga Puja still means heading home, spending time with family, good food, Pandel hopping. The buildup to the joyous occasion, though, is perhaps the most beautiful of all. The drumroll moment that announces that pure bliss is just around the corner. And Puja Barshiki makes the wait even more delightful.

So, what are you reading as you wait for Durga Puja?

Further Readings:

Which song inspires you the most? | The Thinking Me

How wonderful it is to watch your child grow up in the place you call home. | The Thinking Me

The Art of Forgetting | The Thinking Me

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