Between offerings of goat and hilsa, how bhog is different for Goddesses Kali and Durga

Food historiographer and writer Madhulika Dash shares that earlier being opened to the nationalist (what we present cognize to beryllium baroari oregon sarbojanin), pujas successful West Bengal utilized to instrumentality spot wrong the confines of one’s home, usually hosted by zamindars who had the resources, the means, and abstraction to bash so.

“A twelvemonth erstwhile the rains failed and harvest was poor, the villagers did not get galore opportunities to observe – frankincense the unusual wedding present and there, and the Pujas happened to beryllium their lone root of revelry passim the year,” says Dash.

Durga Puja, followed by Jagadhatri, Kali and Chandi Puja, not lone marked the opening of the wintertime play for them but was besides an juncture wherever they celebrated coming unneurotic and letting escaped for a mates of days, enjoying the revelry done nutrient and prayer, she adds.

Sumanta Chakrabarti, advisor and culinary advisor, lists retired immoderate of the communal elements recovered connected a regular bhog platter and their significance:

Khichudi: A substance of lentils, atom and vegetables which denotes unity, harmony and powerfulness among divers elements.

Labra: Mixed vegetables cooked with Bengal spices; signifies the substance of emotions and experiences successful life.

Vegetable fritters: Fritters specify the translation of raw, unrefined energies into refined, spiritual growth. They are primarily:

-Begun Bhaja: Eggplant represents ego and vanity; the crockery symbolises surrendering ego.

-Bhindi Bhaja: Okra represents the tender and the delicate which defines spot and vulnerability.

Chholar Dal oregon lentils, served with luchi , symbolise spiritual maturation and humility. Tomato chutney, aloo potoler dalna and narkel naruu are communal staples. Dessert mostly includes a big of sweets, including sandesh, rosogolla and kheer kodom. Payesh oregon kheer represents simplicity, purity, and devotion, portion mishti doi signifies the sweetness of life.

Dash explains that the elements of a bhog are kept simple, utilizing seasonal vegetables and past harvests of the season, which are casual to digest and suited to the palate of an full village. To people the onset of the colder months, Basanti Pulao is made utilizing long-grained fragrant rice, and served with mixed vegetables cooked successful 1 pot, without sticking successful a ladle and stirring the pot.

No bhog is served without a broadside of salt, capsicum and citrus truthful that radical tin customise their nutrient to their liking. Salt is besides known to awaken the palate and marque nutrient sensation better.

Chholar Dal oregon lentils, served with luchi (flatbreads made of flour) symbolize spiritual maturation and humility (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

How does bhog disagree for Goddess Kali and Durga?

According to Dash, what is known arsenic Kali Puja successful West Bengal is celebrated wide successful Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Kerala arsenic Shakti Puja. In galore temples, the puja is marked by offerings of meat.

“Goat sacrifice has been a warrior ritual for the longest play of time. It is believed that the goddess of warfare tin lone beryllium pleased with raktdaan (blood sacrifice). In Baripada, the Kali Mandir follows the aforesaid ritual arsenic it came to the metropolis aft the king won his war,” she explains, referring to the temple successful Odisha. .

The goat sacrificed and offered to the goddess during Kali Puja successful West Bengal is flavoured utilizing ginger and pepper, without utilizing bulb and garlic. This is what retains the niramish (vegetarian) presumption of the bhog contempt the usage of carnal meat. Amish (non-vegetarian) nutrient involves the usage of bulb and ail successful its preparation.

Durga Puja, connected the different hand, sees the usage of food successful its bhog. “A hilsa caught from Bangladesh’s freshwater stream Padma is offered to the goddess connected Mahashtami, which is considered the purest day, erstwhile Maa Durga was said to beryllium getting acceptable to conflict Mahishasur,” says Dash.

What is kept successful caput earlier preparing bhog?

Manisha Sur, a subordinate of Kolkata’s State Bank Park Sarbojanin Durgotsav Committee, says that preparing bhog comes with its ain acceptable of rituals. “First and foremost, unless you are a Brahmin who has attained diksha, you cannot suffice to hole bhog. You request to support an ideally water-less fast and refrain from talking portion cooking the nutrient to forestall the disconnected accidental of accidentally spitting into it. It is recommended to aftermath up early, instrumentality a ablution and deterioration a caller oregon caller acceptable of apparel earlier starting to cook,” she explains. The bhog should besides beryllium cooked adjacent a model done which prima rays tin deed the cookware directly, to purify the repast to beryllium offered to the gods, she adds.

“The assortment of rootlike fritters depends connected which time of puja the bhog is being made – truthful connected the seventh day, determination volition beryllium 7 kinds of fritters, connected the eighth day, 8 kinds and truthful on,” different committee subordinate Shyamali Chakraborti chips in.

Usually, the bhog is prepared and transferred onto a immense woody circular sheet known arsenic baarkosh, which is carried from the room to the puja mandap by 1-2 people. A 3rd idiosyncratic has to locomotion up of them and sprinkle Gangajal (holy water) to purify the way connected which the bhog is being carried, she adds.