The 132 Teesta displaced families rehabilitated at Majhua in Jalpaiguri district will organise their first Durga Puja in the new settlement this year, three years after the river forced them to leave their villages.
The families from Chamakdangi-Laltong forest busty, under Dabgram-I panchayat in Rajganj block, have begun preparations for the traditional Phoolpati Utsav. The procession, in which members of the Gorkha community participate in traditional attire, will be held on October 17, Saptami. Majhua is around 15km from Siliguri and lies on the fringes of the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary.
Sanjit Saiba, president of the Majhuwa Chamakdangi Laltong Sarbajanik Durga Puja Samiti, said residents wanted to preserve their cultural practices while adapting to the newly developed settlement. The organisers have decided to hold the Puja without pomp or grandeur, reflecting the circumstances of the 132 families, he said.
The Puja will include a traditional Durga idol made by an artisan from Siliguri’s Kumartuli. Organisers also plan to use the pandal to recreate miniature village huts made of straw and bamboo. Traditional implements, including the langol or plough, jekhai, a fishing implement, and dheki, a rice-husking device, will be displayed as part of the celebration.
Saiba said the exhibits were intended to help younger residents learn about the community’s traditions and heritage. The celebration therefore links the families’ former village life with their present settlement, where they are rebuilding social and cultural routines after displacement.
Before their relocation, farming and poultry rearing were the main sources of livelihood for the families. Since moving to Majhua, many have had to take up odd jobs to support themselves, according to the report. The change highlights the practical difficulties that can continue after physical rehabilitation, particularly when families are separated from the economic activities that supported them in their original villages.
Gautam Chhetri, secretary of the organising committee, said the state had sanctioned a Puja grant of ₹1 lakh. The grant helped the organisers prepare for the first festival at the new settlement. The event will proceed as a modest community celebration while the displaced families continue adjusting to their relocated homes and altered livelihoods.
