COOCH BEHAR, Sept. 27: Fifty-six persons out of fifty-eight accused of The Greater Cooch Behar Peoples’ Association (GCPA) were produced in the court of District and Sessions Judge, Cooch Behar, Mr Nripendra Nath Ghosh today. Among the produced GCPA men there was its general secretary Mr Bangshi Badan Barman too. Two accused - Mr Binod Barman and Md Safidul Haque - were absent due to their illness.  

Mr Shibendra Nath Roy appeared on behalf of the GCPA men in the court. He said that the trial of the case would be held in the open court following a recent order passed by the High Court. Earlier, an order was issued to hold the hearing of the case inside Cooch Behar District Correctional Home. Today, the District and Sessions judge passed an order instructing to frame charge against the accused by 17 November, Mr Roy added. [] 

120-year-old Adi Baroari puja of Tufanganj 

COOCH BEHAR, Sept. 27: The 120-year-old Adi Baroari Durga puja of Tufanganj is still the prime crowd puller puja in the entire Tufanganj sub-division of Cooch Behar. All the rituals are still followed here hereditarily as was done in the earlier days. Not only the devotees but also the pandal hoppers feel missed without having a glance of the traditional Durga idol of the Adi Baroari puja, though it has no attractive pandal or illumination as in other big-budget community pujas. Local residents of Tufanganj start their puja viewing from here and at the time of immersion too it gets the priority. The puja is literally a community puja of commoners in Tufanganj. 

On behalf of Tufanganj Adi Baroari Puja Committee Mr Dilip Dey said that the Adi Baroari puja was first held at Ranirhat Bandar of Fulbari. One Krishnabandhu Pal had taken the initiative to worship Durga Puja in 1887. This puja started after about 300 years from the puja of Cooch Behar royal family. Later the name of the locality has changed but the emotion and honour encircling this puja is still there as on the earlier years. 

The responsibility of the making the clay image of the Goddess is entrusted on the Pal family, as a hereditary job. The idol of Goddess Durga is placed in one frame with Her two daughters - Lakshsmi and Saraswati. Her sons - Kartik and Ganesh are staying on a separate frame. This year the idol making is almost complete at the permanent temple of the Goddess ignoring the ongoing bad weather.  

Responsibility of worship of Durga is on the Bhattacharya family. The worship of Durga needs 108 lotus flowers and these are brought from Assam. The decorative ornaments of the deity made of Shola come from Nishiganj of Mathabhanga. Local elders consider the Adi Baroari puja as a must view on the puja days.  

On the Mahashtami day hundreds of people gather at the temple to offer Anjali to the Goddess. The organisers have to face hard times to deal with the crowd. Not only during the puja days but the Adi Baroari Durga gets a special honour and priority on the Bisarjan (immersion) day too. []