“Why Durga Puja? We Bengalis survive on Durga Puja, food and oxygen. Yes, in that order.”

The five days of festivities for Bengalis all over the world was celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm. Those who were not able to come back home for the Puja brought Mini Bengals to life in their own adopted counties of living. The homecoming of Maa Durga, the most famous of expats- who left Bengal and started living at Mount Kailash after her marriage with Lord Shiva, is equally celebrated by the Probashi (expats) Bengalis, be it UK, Africa or Europe.

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With Bijoy Dashami (the returning back of Maa Durga to her abode) marking the end of the most awaited time of the year for Bengalis, we leave you with glimpses of ‘Sharod Sampriti’, the Durga Puja in Germany’s Munich, organized for the first time ever by the Indian Bengali diaspora. Sampriti München e.V,  the group which organized the event was formed in 2014 to provide ‘the Bengali diaspora of South Germany a platform for socio-cultural integration and support.’

Staying true to Sampriti’s motto of embracing German society in its endeavour, while staying anchored to Indian traditions, Sharod Sampriti’s Durga Puja celebrations reflected the same socio-cultural integration. The Puja was done with traditional rituals and the cultural event was a mix of East-meets-West.

Here’s a walkthrough ‘Sharod Sampriti’:

(With inputs from Sutapa Basu, team member, Sampriti München e.V,   which organised Munich’s Durga Puja)