SARBOJANIK DURGA PUJA OF KALIMPONG
Sandip C. Jain

It can be said without any iota of hesitation that Durga Puja in Kalimpong would not be the same amount of fun, festivity and gaiety had it not been for the Kalimpong Sarbojanik Durga Puja, which is organized each year by the Milani Club. This years puja was special for the reason that this was the Platinum Jubilee celebration for this particular puja.
Started in the year 1929 on the initiative of late Ganesh Chandra Pine and his brothers Kartiek and Choku Pine [ of present day Kalimpong Stores(Kodak Studio)], this puja had a very humble beginning. The first ever puja held in the year 1929 was managed on a shoestring budget of Rs. 500.00 which was collected from donations from the public. The idol of Durga Ma and others, like today was made by artists in Siliguri but the manner in which it was transported to Kalimpong was very different from how they are today. The idols were brought from Siliguri to Giel Khola (then known as Kalimpong Road Station) by the toy train that used to ply between Siliguri and Geil Khola. It was then loaded on to the Ropeway, which used to carry it to the Ropeway Station in Kalimpong. This station was situated as the premises of the present day Pranami School. From here it was transported to the Puja Mandap on bullock carts with a procession that included Dhakis and devotees.
The venue of the puja as well as the name of the organizing club has several changes. This puja was earlier held at the Thana Dara at the site of the present day Super Market and was shifted to the Town Hall premises after the construction of the Super Market some years back. The name of the organizers also changed from the Bengali Club to the Matri Sanga to the present day Milani Club. Despite the changes in venue the festivity, joy, devotion and the beating of the Dhaks remains the same till date.
This Puja held each year since the last 75 years has much popularity and the same can be measured from the fact that people of the caliber of Dr. Sudhi Ranjan Das, Ex. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Smt. Pratima Devi, daughter in law of Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore have been attached to the puja as patrons.