Durga Puja is one such celebration that breaks barriers - forget where you are based - the five days of revelry, if we may put it succinctly is implacable.
And guess what - it is no longer confined to the Bengalis. The five-day exultation transgresses communities and brings everybody under the same roof.
Ask Ajit Singh Sidhu, a Punjabi, born and brought up in Calcutta. Professional commitments have taken him to New Zealand, but deep down, he is still a Calcuttan and when it comes to Durga Puja - well, unflinching commitment is his forte.
Based in Christchurch, Sidhu says, "We celebrated Durga Puja at the Bromley Community Centre on October 1 and 2. It was nostalgia as the memories of my growing up days in Calcutta reverberated."
Kids attired for the occasion
On September 30, the Bengali diaspora got together to decorate the community centre. There were a dozen of people from Calcutta whom Sidhu bumped into. Hailing from the City of Joy, the language is no alien for Sidhu and the occasion gave him an opportunity to converse in his 'mother tongue'. "But I did realise that I am a bit out of touch because of not having a proper conversation in Bengali for the last 22 years."
And he added, "We set up a stage using pallets and then all the girls took over the decoration part. We shared banters while working to create an environment that gave us a glimpse of home and also for all those who were going to attend the puja."
The girls used sarees, flowers, artificial flowers, beads, safety pins, glue gun, glue sticks, shiny fabric sheets and others for adornment.
A small pandal was set up. And Goddess Durga was placed on the throne.
"The whole pandal came to life as Ma Durga arrived. Our panditji did the Sasthi puja to welcome Maa Durga. After Sasthi puja it was time to enjoy the beautiful and yummy bhog cooked by one of our boudis (sister-in-law) and it was absolutely delicious."
On October 1, there was no dearth of energy and devotion too.
Fire engine, bouncy castle and face painting were arranged to create a festive atmosphere. Kids got to experience the fire engine truck and were full of queries. The priest recited the mantra in Bengali, there were shakti songs played in Bengali and in fact there was an actual dhak, kasor ghanta and shankh bringing the whole place alive.
And the food was worth enjoying. Kids were getting their face painted, women were dressed in traditional Bengali sarees. Some young girls dressed exactly like Maa Durga, Saraswati and Laxmi. Most men were wearing traditional kurtas and pyjamas.
After the puja it was time to celebrate India's cultural diversity.
Young girls performed amazing dance items. The Bangla dance group exhibited Elo elo dugga elo and their students were part of the Ai re chute ai pujor gondho eseche act. Pavithra from the New Zealand dance academy paid an indelible tribute to Ma Durga.
Students of Revathi Performance, the Christchurch bhangra fitness group, tabla player Joshua, West African dance group and others enthralled the audiences with their acts that instilled a sense of pride in our diversity.
This year's Durga Puja is drawing closer to an end, but like all others, spread in nook and corner of the world, Bengalis in New Zealand are looking forward to the celebrations next year.
Sidhu would second.
