400 Year puja in Lalgarh (wesr medmapore)

LALGARH (WEST MIDNAPORE): This is a place where even policemen fear to tread after dark. Not so during the Pujas. This is when the ‘Rajas’ of Lalgarh take over from Maoists. The pomp and show is no more and the Durga idol looks different, but local people are ready to die to be a part of the show that is nearly 400 years old.

The story goes that Lal Singh and his brother Ram Singh were messengers of Nawab Aliwardi Khan. "Pleased with their excellent work, the nawab gifted them large tracts of land where the brothers built their palaces and took the title of Raja," says Prodosh Kumar Sahosroy, descendent of Lal Singh.

Lal Singh’s original palace was at Sankhakula (now Sankhasini), on the banks of the Kansai near Lalgarh. One day, a sankhari (conchshell artisan), asked for money from Lal Singh as he said Singh’s daughter had worn sankhas made by him. Lal Singh had no daughter but decided to play along. He accompanied the sankhari to the banks of the Kansai and saw what he thought was goddess Durga with new sankhas on her hands. He immediately paid the man and ordered that Durga puja be celebrated every year

Courtesy:The Times of India
Complete artical HERE