Ma Balaichandi Puja Begins After Dashami: In the heart of Bengal’s villages, faith does not conclude with the immersion of Goddess Durga. While most of the state bids farewell to the goddess on Vijaya Dashami, certain communities begin their most sacred rituals after Dashami. The Ma Balaichandi Puja, a centuries-old tradition, begins only once Durga has returned to her celestial abode — a striking reversal of Bengal’s festive rhythm.
In places like Khadimpur in North Dinajpur and Pradhanpara in Alipurduar, devotees prepare for weeks not to celebrate Durga’s arrival, but to invoke her divine energy again — in another form. Known locally as Balaichandi or Bhandani, this puja transforms post-Durga days into a renewed wave of spirituality, togetherness, and cultural pride.
This year, as Durga idols were being immersed across Bengal, Khadimpur’s villagers were already gathering to bring alive the spirit of Ma Balaichandi — the eternal mother who stays behind to bless her people even after the grand immersion.
Official recognition of Bengal’s intangible heritage like this aligns with government efforts under the Ministry of Culture and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of India listings, showcasing how community traditions preserve India’s living heritage.
Where Faith Blooms: Khadimpur, Raiganj, and Alipurduar
The epicentre of the Ma Balaichandi Puja lies in Khadimpur, a small yet culturally vibrant village under the Kamlabari panchayat near Raiganj in North Dinajpur district. For the villagers here, the real puja begins when others are winding up their Durga festivities. The atmosphere that follows Dashami night is not of departure, but of renewal.
In Alipurduar’s Pradhanpara, another variation — the Bhandani Puja — unfolds with similar fervour. Believed to be more than 128 years old, it has become an inseparable part of the Rajbanshi community’s cultural identity. In both regions, devotees construct temporary altars and shrines on community grounds, transforming rural Bengal into glowing sanctuaries of faith once again.
Government tourism initiatives like the West Bengal Tourism Department have highlighted such rural religious fairs as significant examples of Bengal’s “Living Heritage Tourism,” helping preserve local practices while supporting cultural livelihoods.
The Rituals: Simplicity Wrapped in Sincerity
Unlike the ten-armed Durga seen in mainstream pujas, Ma Balaichandi is worshipped in her four-armed form, signifying serenity rather than conquest. She holds sacred items symbolizing protection, blessings, and nurturing — making her a more personal and accessible form of the goddess.
Key Ritual Elements Include:
- Start Timing: The rituals begin at midnight on Dashami, when priests perform the first invocation amid lamps and conch sounds.
- Idol Form: The idol is smaller, without the lion mount or demon Mahishasura. This indicates a localized and benevolent motherly aspect of Shakti.
- Vegetarian Offering: Unlike other regional Shakti pujas, Balaichandi worship strictly prohibits animal sacrifice. Offerings include rice, sweets, fruits, and coconut — marking a ritual of purity.
- Four-Day Ceremony: The puja continues for four consecutive days, including Sandhi Puja, Bali rituals (symbolic, not literal), and Sindoor Khela, similar to Durga Puja customs but on a humbler scale.
- Devotees’ Fast: Villagers observe fasting, meditation, and community cooking during the entire period.
- Public Fairs: Alongside rituals, fairs (mela) and folk performances take place, where artisans sell handicrafts and rural musicians play dhak, flute, and kansor (brass cymbals).
The balance of austerity and festivity defines Balaichandi Puja’s character — deeply spiritual yet joyously communal.
Local Beliefs: The Goddess Who Stayed Behind
Folklore has it that centuries ago, when Goddess Durga returned to Mount Kailash after Vijaya Dashami, she left behind her spiritual essence in Bengal to protect those who could not accompany her farewell. That lingering presence took the form of Ma Balaichandi, who stays among her devotees, guarding villages and harvests.
According to oral legends, the Balaichandi shrine in Khadimpur originated nearly 500 years ago, when a local farmer discovered a shining stone near his field. Interpreting it as a divine sign, the villagers began worshipping it as a manifestation of Shakti. Over centuries, this evolved into an organized festival with a permanent temple on a one-acre plot.
Such mythic continuity makes Balaichandi Puja an intangible cultural heritage that deserves formal recognition, similar to how Durga Puja in Kolkata earned UNESCO’s inscription in 2021. (UNESCO Intangible Heritage: Durga Puja)
Cultural Continuity: Beyond the Immersion
While urban Bengal moves on to post-Puja routines, rural Bengal continues its celebrations with Ma Balaichandi. The puja acts as an emotional bridge — extending the festive energy, bringing families and migrants home for a few more days of faith and togetherness.
Sociologists view this as a “ritual of continuity.” The immersion of Durga represents closure, while Balaichandi’s worship reopens the cycle of devotion — reaffirming Bengal’s cyclical understanding of time and divinity. It’s less about beginning or end and more about constant renewal.
Local teachers and elders interpret this as the “return of the mother’s spirit” — a way to tell the community that divine presence never really departs.
The Fair: Faith, Economy, and Celebration
Parallel to the rituals, the Balaichandi Mela becomes the heart of social life for several days. Makeshift stalls sell traditional sweets, bamboo toys, brass jewelry, and woven sarees. Folk performers like baul singers and jhumur dancers fill the air with music.
For many villagers, this is also a key economic moment. Artisans, potters, and small traders earn their largest seasonal incomes during this fair. The Department of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of West Bengal (msmewb.gov.in) has recently been encouraging rural fairs and crafts as part of Bengal’s economic heritage, recognizing their vital role in sustaining livelihoods.
Thus, the Balaichandi Puja becomes both sacred and socio-economic — a convergence of spirituality and sustainability.
Bhandani Puja in Alipurduar: The Rajbanshi Legacy
In the tea-growing districts of Alipurduar, the Bhandani Puja carries a similar ethos. Organized by the Rajbanshi and Munda communities, it begins right after Dashami and continues for up to four days. Locals say the ritual started as a protective offering to the forest goddess, praying for safety from wild animals and natural calamities.
In Pradhanpara village, this year marks the 128th Bhandani Puja, a testament to the endurance of oral traditions. The shrine, located amid green tea gardens, draws thousands from neighboring districts like Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri. The air resonates with dhak beats, conch shells, and the scent of incense — reminding everyone that Bengal’s spirituality thrives equally in its rural corners.
The West Bengal State Tourism Policy lists such local fairs as potential rural tourism sites, encouraging documentation and eco-cultural visitor experiences.
The Symbolism: A Goddess of Transition
Ma Balaichandi symbolizes the goddess in transition — neither fully departing nor arriving, but existing within the threshold. This symbolism resonates with Bengal’s larger Shakti tradition, where the divine feminine embodies cycles of creation, preservation, and return.
In philosophical terms, she reflects the continuum of Shakti, the sustaining power that never ceases even when rituals end. It’s why the puja begins precisely when mainstream festivities conclude — a symbolic inversion of closure into continuity.
Challenges: Sustaining a Living Heritage
While devotion remains strong, the Balaichandi tradition faces challenges:
- Migration of Youth: Many younger residents leave for cities, reducing local participation in rituals and fair management.
- Funding Issues: Rising costs of materials and lighting make it hard for rural committees to maintain the puja scale.
- Documentation Gaps: There are no formal archives or records of ritual variations, making the practice reliant solely on oral memory.
- Weather Uncertainty: Post-monsoon rains sometimes disrupt open-air rituals.
To address such issues, schemes under the Ministry of Culture’s Scheme for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage could help communities like Khadimpur and Alipurduar preserve their traditions through grants, research, and training.
Local Voices and Testimonies
Residents express a profound emotional connection to Balaichandi Puja:
“When Durga goes away, Ma Balaichandi comes to stay with us. She never leaves her children,”
says Nirmal Barman, a Khadimpur puja committee member.
“This is not just a ritual — it’s our identity,”
adds Shyamal Munda, the secretary of Pradhanpara’s Bhandani Puja committee, emphasizing how their community has carried this worship for generations.
For elders, it’s a symbol of resilience — a way to continue the warmth of Durga Puja even in humble settings.
Government and Heritage Recognition
The West Bengal Heritage Commission (wbhc.in) has been documenting rural temples and folk rituals for possible inclusion in its Living Heritage Project. Experts suggest Balaichandi Puja deserves nomination as a State Heritage Festival, alongside other post-Durga folk traditions like Jagaddhatri Puja in Chandannagar and Rash Utsav in Nadia.
At the national level, institutions like the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) document local deities and folk worship under the “Lok Parampara” initiative, providing research platforms to preserve these traditions digitally.
Such recognition not only validates the cultural depth of Balaichandi Puja but also opens pathways for cultural tourism, academic study, and intergenerational transmission.
The Spirit of Togetherness: Beyond Religion
Although Balaichandi Puja is rooted in Hindu Shakti worship, its social inclusiveness is noteworthy. People of various castes, professions, and even faith backgrounds visit the shrine and the fair. The event becomes a community festival — transcending religious boundaries.
Women play an especially vital role — leading offerings, organizing the communal kitchen, and singing traditional songs passed down for generations. The puja, therefore, becomes a celebration of female agency, echoing the goddess’s nurturing power in everyday life.
Modern Adaptations: Lighting, Digital Promotion, and Eco-Puja Awareness
Over the years, organizers have introduced sustainable practices inspired by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board’s eco-puja guidelines — discouraging plastic decorations, using clay idols, and managing immersion responsibly.
With the rise of social media, youth groups now document and share videos of rituals and fairs to attract visitors. Local administrations have also improved lighting, waste management, and security around the temple grounds, supported by the District Administration of North Dinajpur (northdinajpur.nic.in).
Such digital and environmental awareness initiatives show how an ancient tradition can evolve gracefully with modernity.
Reflection: What Balaichandi Teaches Bengal
Ma Balaichandi Puja embodies a simple yet profound truth: spirituality does not end; it transforms.
When idols are immersed and lights dim in Kolkata, a thousand lamps are kindled in Bengal’s rural courtyards.
The ritual tells us that faith is not confined to grand pandals or loud processions — it lives quietly in community hearts, sustained by belief, song, and shared devotion.
It’s this seamless continuation of celebration — from the grandeur of Durga to the intimacy of Balaichandi — that gives Bengal’s cultural rhythm its unbroken flow.
Conclusion: The Eternal Goddess of Return
As the 2025 Balaichandi Puja unfolds across Khadimpur and Alipurduar, the goddess once again reminds her devotees that endings are illusions. The mother never departs; she only returns in another form.
In a time when modern life rushes past traditions, the villagers’ faith stands as a living testimony to Bengal’s enduring devotion. Ma Balaichandi continues to bless the soil, the people, and the spirit of the land — proving that true worship lies not in grandeur, but in the continuity of belief.
Ma Balaichandi Puja Begins After Dashami: External Reference Links
- Ministry of Culture, Government of India
- UNESCO – Intangible Cultural Heritage of India
- West Bengal Tourism Department
- West Bengal Heritage Commission
- West Bengal MSME Department
- West Bengal Pollution Control Board – Eco Puja Guidelines
- District Administration, North Dinajpur
- Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA)
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