Fair-lop community centre a rather quite neighbourhood, with a school and a sports complex making you wonder if you are on the right path, but a small and easily miss able sign board, confirms that you are indeed on the right path. The very first look of a rather silent community centre with a quite a few cars filling its parking lot hardly manages to make a striking impression on you. Until you open the doors and you enter the community hall you will still have a confusion lingering all over your mind... are heading to the right place.
No, not until you leave your shoes and walk into the large hall with the idol placed at the end you will realise that your trans is now complete and you have somehow managed to find a way into a community centre that makes you feel you have entered into a large gathering in house in Kolkata where the entire family has gather to celebrate the Durga Puja. The same idol, the same people, the same music and the same food and guess what the same affection level among people, for a minute there the very fact that I am still present in the London escaped my mind.
Most of the people were Bengali and what was a Community Puja appeared more like a huge family affair where one and all were welcome with open heart and pleasant smile. Unless confronted being spoken to in Bengali made me feel warm, born in Orissa I could easily understand the spoken language and picking up gesture only made things easier.
Anjali session with mass chanting filled the air and definitely the hearts with piousness of the occasion.
Once the Pradeep (diya or candles) were lit and the Puja had commenced, there followed the mouth-watering servings of Kichadi (specially made offerings for the deity) with select sides and ever popular delicious dessert Kheer (Indian sweet).
Never thought the mildly crowded hall with a excited set of people would fill my heart with much needed warmth in an otherwise cold London. I am definitely looking forward to re-visit the place over next Durga Puja, hope to see you there...
