The organisers of the Manikchak Diara Sarbojonin Durgotsav at Domhaat in Malda district have had to shift the goddess’s mandap or pavilion at least five times in the past 25 years.

The frequent change in the autumn address of the goddess is another indication of how an aggressive Ganga is devouring its banks and changing the land map of this north Bengal district.

One of the oldest community pujas in the district, the Domhaat puja, the organisers said, had started at Gangapara in 1905.

Domhaat is in the Manikchak block and around 38km from the district headquarters.

“There used to be no fear of erosion those days, but things have changed drastically in the past 25 years or so, forcing us to change the address of the devi mandap five times,” said Bholanath Mandal, a septuagenarian and a farmer by occupation.

It was in 1995 that the erosion left its spell and the mandap was swallowed by the Ganga and the 90-year-old address had to be changed.

“The puja did not stop even then. The goddess was shifted to an alternative mandap at Bechutola village and the puja continued there till 2006,” Mandal said.

But then again, the erosion caused havoc and the second mandap was swallowed by the river.

In 2007, the puja had to shift to the Palpara area but the mandap lasted only for four years. Then (in 2011), a local resident offered his mango orchard at Haddatola village, where the goddess was worshipped for six years.

“The owner of the orchard sold his property and eventually, a portion of that land was also eroded away by the river. Thus, the goddess had to move to her present abode at Jotepatta in 2016,” said an organiser.

A new mandap was constructed to venerate the goddess and her family. Since then, the puja has been organised at Jotepatta.

Pradip Mondal, a school teacher, vividly narrated how the curse of erosion had forced hundreds of families to shift their houses. The address of the goddess also kept changing along with.

“The goddess had moved with us and that’s why Durga is the symbol of our determination,” Pradip said.

The organisers said the challenge of erosion had been replaced by the Covid-19 pandemic this autumn.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has left us scared. But we are still organising the puja and if required, we will shift the venue again in the coming years and will build a new mandap. The puja has to go on,” said Ujjwal Karmakar, a resident.