Durga Puja of harmony at Darje

Culture

Durga Puja of harmony at Darjeeling hill homestay

Many people rush to North Bengal during the festival season to enjoy the green valleys and solitude surrounded by the mist of the mountains. But this time, even while visiting the hills, tourists are overwhelmed by the atmosphere of a pure Bengali home and the joy of Durga Puja in the courtyard of the homestay itself. Latpanchar is a picturesque hill village under Sitong-3 subdivision of Darjeeling. The popular homestay 'Lotus Paradise Homestay' is located there. The owner of this homestay, Khonderkar Parvez Ali, has organized Sharad Utsab in his homestay premises.

There is no pomp, but rather the worship of the Devi Durga is being done here by calling a priest in accordance with the complete classical and traditional rituals. Parvez Ali has made perfect arrangements for the Bengali tourists visiting the homestay, from offering flowers in the puja to the Mahaprasad and Bhog of Ashtami. Not only the tourists from the plains, but also the local villagers from the hills have spontaneously and enthusiastically joined this innovative initiative of the owner.

Tourists visiting the area are also happy to have such a homely Durga Puja. One such Bengali family said, "I never thought that after visiting the mountains in peace, I would be able to have a puja inside the homestay, offer Anjali, or eat prasad. This is an extra treat for us. This puja amidst the mountainous nature has taken the joy of our holiday to another level."

How did the idea of ??organizing this Sharadotsav, transcending religious identity, come about? In this context, Khonderkar Parvez Ali said, "For Bengalis, Durga Puja is not just a specific religious ritual, it is an eternal tradition and emotion. This initiative was taken with the idea that those who come to visit the hills from far and wide for the Puja should not be deprived of that familiar emotion and joy of the festival."

Highlighting his personal life and message of harmony, Parvez further added, "My home in the village is in Burdwan. Since childhood, I have grown up with people of all religions with great sincerity. I have always been taught that secularism from my family. So, be it Eid, Christmas, Durga Puja or Dipwali - I participate equally in everything and love to share joy with everyone. There is no discrimination of religion in my Lotus Paradise either, all festivals are celebrated with equal dignity here."

Although not very old, this homestay in Latpanchar has become quite popular among tourists. Especially for its premium or VIP level service and excellent hospitality. It serves a variety of delicious dishes, including Bengali and South Indian. But the most special thing is that it prepares customized meals according to the needs of tourists. According to Parvez Ali, "Many tourists want to have a light, home-like meal at night after roaming the hilly roads all day. They are provided with home-style dishes like boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, boiled lentils or even hot ghee-rice."

Outdoor barbecues and campfires are beautifully arranged here with complete safety and precautions to entertain tourists on winter nights. Parvez Ali said that many tourists have already made their advance bookings for the upcoming winter season. During winter, the main attraction of the Latpanchar and Sitong areas is the local orange orchards full of oranges. Besides, many (about 250 species) of birds can be seen in this mountainous region during the winter season, which is one of the main attractions for bird lovers and wildlife photographers.

All in all, this pagoda-style homestay in Darjeeling's offbeat village of Latpanchar could be the perfect destination for a few days of solitude, wrapped in a blanket of fog and in the chilly mountain air, during the upcoming winter holidays.