Durga Puja - How I miss that

"Bengaliyon ka Puja, Par Mishmiyon(Tribe) ka Kharcha" ( bengali's festival, but tribal's expenditures ) ... my father quoted this when we were shopping for a kurta, way back in 1998's Durga Puja. I was in VKV Roing in 8th standard and unlike any other Puja round the corner; Durga Puja had it's own special place. Not just for me, but for every people in Roing, be it the locals or the Bengalis settled in Roing.

Durga puja, has a special place in the history and the tradition of Roing. Unlike any other local festivals, be it Reh or Solung, I think this is one of the event that everyone celebrates in pomp & gaiety and the celebration goes on for days all together.

Am not religious, neither I prefer making myself sound like one... but Durga Puja was a different thing to me. For Bengali's and many folks around, this festival would certainly be about praying and wishing. Well, I can say for myself and most of the youths back in Roing - this Puja was all about having fun, and tons of it infact.

It's been more than 6 years by now, when I last marked my presence in Durga Puja, and 2008 too will get added, and am quite unsure about the 2009 as well. I call my friends every year, especially in Durga puja, enquiring them about the Puja pandals and lottery pandals for the Puja.
Religion certainly doesn't have anything to do with it, and in my case it will never - since I've none.
Hanging around with friends, the whole day long... loitering with no business, but with bags full of smiles for every one you come around in the crowded road, talk about how you just made Rs.200 out of the only 50 you'ad. Talk about the lucky seven...and brag a little about the expertise you seem to posses to throw those TTballs to earn you the bucks... Bored... Get lost in the crowd again... Smile around... Look around... Come back... and try your luck.
Well, so much to do in Durga puja. And did I mention about how I won more than 25 beer bottles in a single day - well, I did once.
Certainly not a puja around.... but more than that.