Organisers take lessons in puja rituals with priests
Times of India | 4 September 2025
Kolkata: The annual workshop on training priests on how to properly perform the Durga Puja rituals will also focus on organisers of community pujas this year. This is to ensure that they are mindful of the proper conduct of the puja with reverence alongside the festivity.
"We are all delighted that Durga Puja is attracting attention from all over the world. But the zeal to excel in craftsmanship and showmanship should not be at the cost of the worship of the Goddess. We want the organisers to also pay attention to the puja details," said Sarba Bharatiya Prachya Vidya Academy principal Jayanta Kushary, who has been conducting workshops since 1986. This year is the 39th edition of the workshop that started in 1986 at the behest of Swami Parmatmananda of Ramakrishna Mission and author Sanjib Chattopadhyay.
The first workshop with 15 participants was held at the house of Kabiraj Ganga Prasad Sen in Kumartuli. This year, the programme was flagged off at the Sovabazar Rajbari with 150 participants.
So far, nearly 4,000 people including retired judges, lawyers, writers, priests and other professionals have attended the workshop.
"We emphasise on the proper conduct of the priest: on the ability to understand and properly pronounce the chants, to behave in an amicable manner, changing one's clothes before the puja, and being attentive. Cellphones are strictly off-limits for a priest during the puja," said Kushary.
Heritage Institute of Technology chemical engineering department head Sulagna Chattopadhyay, who has enrolled for the workshop, says she wants to know if the manner in which she does Chandi Path is proper.