{"id":23322,"date":"2026-09-12T12:18:48","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T12:18:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=23322"},"modified":"2026-09-12T12:18:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T12:18:48","slug":"barir-pujos-to-stick-to-centuries-old-tradition-will-have-fish-for-bhog-kolkata-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=23322","title":{"rendered":"Barir Pujos to stick to centuries-old tradition, will have fish for bhog | Kolkata News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-134115556,imgsize-2175889,width-400,height-225,resizemode-75\/during-the-vibrant-celebration-of-durga-puja-bengals-historic-families-proudly-uphold-their-tradition-of-offering-non-vegetarian-dishes-intertwining-their-custom.jpg\" alt=\"Barir Pujos to stick to centuries-old tradition, will have fish for bhog\" title=\"During the vibrant celebration of Durga Puja, Bengal's historic families proudly uphold their tradition of offering non-vegetarian dishes, intertwining their custom\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"During the vibrant celebration of Durga Puja, Bengal's historic families proudly uphold their tradition of offering non-vegetarian dishes, intertwining their custom\">During the vibrant celebration of Durga Puja, Bengal&#8217;s historic families proudly uphold their tradition of offering non-vegetarian dishes, intertwining their custom<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>KOLKATA: Bengal\u2018s historic bonedi families remain committed to preserving their centuries-old customs following the controversy sparked by Bageshwar Baba, who called for a boycott of people who consume non-vegetarian food during Navrarti.<!-- --> Rather than engaging in external debates, these households, including Sabarna Roy Chowdhury\u2019s descendants and one wing of Sovabazar Rajbari, view their long-standing rituals \u2014 such as offering non-vegetarian bhog \u2014 as an inherent expression of their ancestral heritage and family faith.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"3\"\/>For these custodian families, continuing these practices is simply a matter of honuoring their legacy-driven traditions that have defined their family worship for hundreds of years. Tanmoy Roy Chowdhury, secretary of the management committee for the Borobari <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/durga-puja\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Durga Puja<\/a> of the Sabarna Roy Chowdhury family, said the tradition of offering non-vegetarian bhog spans 300 years. <!-- -->\u201cA part of our family also offers the Atchala puja which is 400 years old. In both pujas, katla fish is offered for bhog on Nabami,\u201d he noted. \u201cWe catch the fish from a pond behind our house, which is then cooked and served as bhog. If a family member desires, any other kind of fish can also be offered as bhog.\u201d Addressing non-veg commentary, he added, &#8220;I have nothing to say about Baba&#8217;s advice or whatever else anyone is saying. We will continue following the rituals that have been part of our family heritage for centuries.&#8221; He also referenced the family&#8217;s past practices, sharing that &#8220;that inhuman practice&#8221; of animal sacrifice was discontinued around 30 to 35 years ago.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/>If \u2018katla\u2019 is a favourite with the Roy Chowdhury descendants, catfish finds pride of place at the Sovabazar Rajbari (\u201cBoro Torof\u201d). Soumit Narayan Deb, ninth generation of Maharaja Nabakrishna Deb Bahadur of Sovabazar Rajbari (\u201cBoro Torof\u201d), rewinds to 1858 when Raja Sir Radhakanta Deb Bahadur stopped goat sacrifice and offered his own blood instead. <!-- -->\u201cSince blood is necessary for the worship of Shakti, all important pundits were summoned from all over India to thakurdalan of the Sovabazar Rajbari.<!-- --> They discussed alternative options if the descendants refused to offer their own blood and finally decided that catfish would be offered as sacrifice.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/>Since then, catfish is sacrificed at the alter of this \u2018bonedi\u2019 house. \u201cThe fish is offered to the goddess. The body is taken to the thakurdalan while its head is taken home by the one who sacrifices the catfish at the altar. <!-- -->The goddess is also offered rohu fish and vegetables. This is described as \u2018siddha\u2018. The purohit then takes the \u2018siddha\u2019 home after the Nabami puja is over. Our Puja started in 1757 and this tradition has been going on since there.<!-- --> Who says what doesn\u2019t affect our tradition,\u201d Deb said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/>Marking its 167th year, the Chorbagan Chatterjee family Durga Puja continues its traditional daily ritual of offering fish bhogs \u2014including hilsa, bhekti, and pona \u2014 from Saptami to Dashami. <!-- -->Family member Hijal Chatterjee said, \u201cWe will not make any changes to this as it is our family tradition. The concept behind this is that Durga is considered our daughter who visits with her family. So, we offer the best items on the menu.<!-- -->\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"28\"\/>While Janbazar Rani Rashmoni\u2019s family offers a vegetarian <span class=\"em\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">bhog<\/span> to the deity, they continue the tradition of serving non-vegetarian items to guests on Saptami and Nabami. Prasun Hazra, a sixth-generation descendant from Mathuramohan\u2019s lineage, said, \u201cOur puja is approximately 234 years old. Prior to 2003, we used to have \u2018Pathabali\u2018 (goat sacrifice), but we stopped that ritual in 2003. Now, we offer a strictly vegetarian bhog to the Goddess, but we serve non-vegetarian items to our guests on Saptami and Nabami.<!-- --> We respect everyone\u2019s food choices\u2014even though my wife and I follow a strict vegetarian diet during the four days of Puja to perform the rituals, we never impose this practice on our guests.\u201d<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/city\/kolkata\/barir-pujos-to-stick-to-centuries-old-tradition-will-have-fish-for-bhog\/articleshow\/134072221.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>During the vibrant celebration of Durga Puja, Bengal&#8217;s historic families proudly uphold their tradition of offering non-vegetarian dishes, intertwining their custom KOLKATA: Bengal\u2018s historic bonedi families remain committed to preserving their centuries-old customs following the controversy sparked by Bageshwar Baba, who called for a boycott of people who consume non-vegetarian food during Navrarti. 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