For the Gorkhas in the Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP), shashtra puja (worship of the weapons) and offering gun salute are essential part of the invocation during Durga Puja.
The Gorkhas, mostly men, attached to the first battalion of JAP stationed at Doranda in Ranchi have been maintaining the tradition for around 140 years.
The tradition is believed to have begun soon after an armed constabulary named Bihar Military Police (BMP) was raised way back in 1880 and the Gorkha jawans in the force began celebrating Durga Puja in their traditional way.
It continued uninterrupted since then though the name of the force changed from BMP to JAP after the new state of Jharkhand was carved out from Bihar in November 2000.
“The rituals are done by JAP-1 and its commandant, irrespective of his/her religion, who leads us all as a guardian,” said the battalion’s Subedar Major Prabhash Chhetri, adding that all the important rituals are done in presence of the commandant.
The sacred pot being placed. Manob Chowdhary
The JAP personnel worship the goddess as Navadurga for nine days, beginning on the first day of devi paksha or the day Mahalaya is observed.
There is no idol and they welcome the goddess under nine different trees located in their compound.
The jawans only place a kalash (sacred pot) on a bedi (holy platform) at the designated place near Tikko Hall where the current Commandant Aneesh Gupta was present during the ritual on Thursday, Chhetri further said, adding that Gupta would be present during all other important rituals.
They will also bring out their weapons — from rifles to light machine guns, let alone their very own khukri — from the arsenal for worshipping them on Navami and offer gun salute accompanied by a patriotic tune played by their well-known band as a mark of obeisance to the goddess.
The jawans, who are often required to fight extremist elements in remote jungles, and also their family members believe the goddess protects them during hard times. Hence, many women family members fast and join the men during the rituals.
“We normally have to draw a lot for selecting the women from among the volunteers but that will not be done this year due to Covid restrictions,” Chhetri said, adding that this would be the second consecutive year when they would be following the restrictions.
“Like last year, no bhog will be distributed this year too,” he further said, adding that all rituals will be done following the Covid restrictions.
The government provides funds for worshipping Navadurga by the Gorkha battalion of JAP and no subscriptions are collected, they said.
The Puja raises enough interest among the residents of the state capital due to its unique traditions of worshipping the weapons and offering gun salute to the presiding deity but their entry will be restricted because of the current pandemic situation.
