SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Oct 21: With the installation of ‘Kola Bou’ in Puja Pandals, the Durga Puja ritual began in the coal belt on Saturday morning.
As per Hindu mythology on the day of Saptami ( 7th day in Navratra) Maa Durga arrives at her father’s house from Sasural (Himalaya).
Before entering in house ( Pandal temple)she has to take a bath. Since the idol can’t be carried to a pond or river, her symbol’ Kola Bou’ is holy bathed, and installed in a Pandal.
Pandit A K Mukherjee of Durga Mandir said that Kola Bou (that is also called Nabapatrika), is the symbol of Maa Durga formed with nine plants -turmeric plant, clover tree, pomegranate plant, Arum plant, Colacassia plant, paddy plant, Ashok tree, and Saal tree are tied with the trunk of a banana tree. All these sacred plants are draped in white sarees with red borders and taken on Palki for Snan (holy bath) at a pond or river.
Today on the 7th of Navratra, Puja committees mostly of the Bengali community carried away ‘Kola Bou’ on Palki at their nearby pond, and the tank in procession got her bathed. They brought and installed it in the Pandal with ritual and tradition to start worship.
The female devotees in white Sari and male in white Dhoti Kurta were in the procession of Kola Bou. In the procession devotees danced to the tune of traditional music played by Bengali artists who came from Purulia and other districts.
Those who were not able to join in the procession for a bath at the pond/ river were seen waiting at their respective Pandals with ‘Arti Thal’.
The Puja committee of Hirapur Durga Mandir, Bengali Kalyan Samiti Zila Parishad, Durga Puja Samiti JC Mallick Road, Nepal Kali Mandir, Devi Para, Jharna Para Samiti got their Kola Bou bathed at Khokhan Talab. Other committees of the township got their Kola Bou bathed at Pumpu Talab, Rajendra Sarovar, Rani bandh Talab, Jharia Raja Talab, Damodar River, Kudhia Revulate, and Barakar river.
“We feel privilege to join in Kola Bou procession and every Durga Puja along with my husband and daughter attend it without fail,” said Arti Shaw of JC Mallick Road.
