Dibrugarh Mitra Sangha Puja Committee
A view of the puja pandal of Dibrugarh Mitra Sangha Puja Committee. Image credit - Northeast Now

Dibrugarh Mitra Sangha Puja Committee is all set to showcase the eco-friendly and natural lifestyle of the Adivasi community in the upcoming Durga Puja.

This year, the Durga Puja celebration by the Dibrugarh Mitra Sangha Puja Committee will enter the 37th year.

Every year, the puja pandal of Mitra Sangha in Dibrugarh attracts huge gathering as they try to decorate their puja pandal with a new theme.

A team of 22 pandal and idol-makers from Kolkata is working day and night to finish their work on time.

Sandeep Tulsyan, secretary of Mitra Sangha Puja Committee told Northeast Now, “This year, our theme is based on the Adivasi lifestyle – how do the Adivasi people live a natural life.”

A view of the puja pandal of Dibrugarh Mitra Sangha Puja Committee. Image credit – Northeast Now
A view of the puja pandal of Dibrugarh Mitra Sangha Puja Committee. Image credit – Northeast Now

“The Adivasi people depend on natural things and they generally build their houses with bamboo and other things which are easily available in jungles. Their lifestyle is very simple and eco-friendly,” said Tulsyan.

He also said their main focus is on cleanliness and due to cleanliness every year they receive recognition from the district administration.

“The people will find a new concept in our puja. Our Durga idol will be made of clay and eco-friendly items. We will not use any items which will create pollution,” Tulsyan said.

“Every year, a huge crowd gather in our puja pandal and appreciate our work. This time also, we are expecting a large crowd because of the Bogibeel bridge which was opened last year. This year, the crowd will come from Dhemaji side to enjoy puja in Dibrugarh,” he added.

Tulsyan also said, “All our items for decoration are natural. We are using bamboo and other items which are mostly found in an Adivasi home.”

The culture of the Adivasi people has also been depicted in the puja pandal, he said.

“They (Adivasis) are one of the indigenous tribes of India and are living a lifestyle which is different from the rest of us. How do they live with limited things will be highlighted in the puja mandap,”

Last year, the theme of Mitra Sangha Puja Committee’s pandal was Buddhist Monastery of Thailand which had drawn a large crowd.

Another puja committee also hoped that a large gathering would visit their puja mandap.

“Every year we come up with different themes and this year, we have come up with the Adivasi lifestyle theme,” said the member.

Dibrugarh deputy commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha on Saturday held a meeting with the members of all the puja committees of Dibrugarh town and directed them to install CCTV cameras and round the clock volunteers in their puja mandaps for smooth conduct of Durga Puja.

More than 100 Durga Puja committees celebrate Durga Puja in Dibrugarh.

Avik Chakraborty is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dibrugarh. He can be reached at: [email protected]