They used to celebrate Durga Puja long ago, but had been unable to do so for many years because of the continuous threat of eviction and oppression by land grabbers, and of poverty. This year, they are going to take part in the festival for the first time after a long while.
This is a story of Tonk Para, an indigenous village in Amnura upazila of Chapainawabganj district. The village is located on 19 bighas of land, where more than 200 people reside. All are landless farmers, both men and women.
Srimoti Kutila Rajowar, the village leader, told Dhaka Tribune that their families are finally going to celebrate Sharadotsav after 150 years.
“We are all going to celebrate. The children are happy, and so am I,” she said.
When this correspondent visited the village yesterday at noon, he found the villagers preparing for the festival with great enthusiasm. The women were making puffed rice for the celebrations.
All walls of the mud-built houses had been decorated with many colours. The sculptor was sitting beside a big pond near the village, shaping the sculpture of the Goddess Durga.
The village children looked cheerful because they had received new clothes.
Holding the festival this year has been possible because of the Lahanti Foundation, a local organisation that is working for the rights of indigenous people in the northern part of Bangladesh.
“Land grabbers who live in the other villages have long demanded our lands, and continued to threaten us to leave this place,” said Kutila Rajowar.
“They even filed five cases against us,” she also said.
“Nobody wants to listen to our voices, not even the police, the administration, or the nation’s people,” she added.
The Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Therefore, the Durga Puja festival epitomises the victory of good over evil.