The Durga Puja festivities got over across Bengal on Monday with the immersion of Goddess Durga, except for pockets of north Bengal.

Every year on Ekadashi, the day after Dashami, the Rajbanshi community organises Bhandani Puja in north Bengal, including Dakshin Ulladabri of Maynaguri block in Jalpaiguri and Bholardabri in Alipurduar. The worship of Devi Bhandani, another form of Durga, is among the biggest festivals of the Rajbanshi community.

According to regional mythology, while the Devi was returning to her heavenly abode, she stayed back for a day in the region on the pleas of the Rajbanshi farmers who wanted her blessings for a good harvest.

“Here, the Devi’s face is of red hue. The mahishasur (demon) is not present as it is believed that the Devi returns home after destroying him... Also, the Devi does not have 10 but two hands. Her children, however, are with her and worshipped together,” said Dinesh Roy, secretary of the Bhandani Puja Committee of Dakshin Ulladabri.

The puja with which he is involved is over 500 years old, he added.

Social researchers working on the Rajbanshi community said it is an old practice that the community worships Devi Bhandani, believed to be an incarnation of the Durga, expecting the goddess would shower her blessings on farmers for a better harvest.

“The word Bhandani seems to have been coined from the word ‘bhandar’ which means a stockyard of food grains. This also goes in consonance with the aspiration of farmers who want the goddess to bless them with good crops,” said a researcher in Jalpaiguri.

As the puja brings thousands of people to different venues in north Bengal every year, fairs are held and in several places animal-sacrifice rituals are performed.

“However, due to the Covid-19 crisis, we have cancelled the fair like in other venues. Also, certain restrictions have been imposed over the entry of devotees to the pandal. The puja however has been held according to the religious practices,” said Birendra Roy, one of the organisers of Bhandani Puja held in Bholardabri BFP School in Purba Bholardabri of Alipurduar-I block.

In Alipurduar district, the puja is organised in four venues but this is the oldest, said Birendra.

“This is our 115th year. We are following all health safety protocols at the venue,” he said.Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has greeted people on this occasion.

“I extend my greetings to the Rajbanshis and people of all other communities of Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts on occasion of the puja of Devi Bhandani, the goddess of prosperity,” she tweeted on Tuesday.