INTERVIEWER:
Guru Dev, my respects to you.
GURU:
My blessings.
INTERVIEWER:
Guru Dev, every year on October 5th, a special puja is held at the Shanti Kunja Ashram. I have heard that at one time, you used to perform this puja yourself, including the homa (fire ritual). Now you no longer perform the puja personally. Could you please say a few words to the devotees regarding this puja?
GURU:
Well, this has been going on for about 30 to 32 years. I donât recall the exact count, but it has definitely been over 30 years. Previously, the puja was held at the cremation grounds. Wherever we could find space, we would hold it. Back then, there were wood-fired furnaces. There was a small room near the furnaces where we performed the puja most of the time. For the last seven years, we have been holding it in this room where the Mother (Goddess) is now seated. Before that, the puja happened in various spots across the cremation grounds.
GURU:
Back then, space was hard to come by. There were wood furnaces, and bodies were being cremated all around us. There was a room right in front of the furnaces where we held the puja for nearly 25 years. In those days, not many people visited, but there was a lot of food served. It was quite grand. About 2,000 to 2,500 people would eatâthe companions of the deceased, people from nearby areasâeveryone came to eat. That was a different time. Now, things have changed. We are very conscious of the COVID situation.
GURU:
Now, prominent people attend. MLAs come, police officers, and other high-ranking officials visit, and we have to manage their arrivals. Weâve had to reduce the scale because we canât hold such large gatherings in this space. The local counselors also visit. Because of COVID, weâve capped gatherings at about 50 people. The Municipal Chairman and other dignitaries also attend. We have to make various arrangements for them.
GURU:
The puja has now become something that "celebrities" and prominent people attend, so there is a lot of management involved. There are speeches given regarding the event. This year, it falls on October 5th, a Tuesday. We choose the night when Amavasya (the new moon) is observed. Previously, we used to perform the Kaushiki Amavasya puja, but we stopped that and started the Mahalaya puja instead. It has been about 15 years now that we've been doing the Mahalaya puja.
GURU:
On that night, Mother Kali is worshipped, and Mother Tara is worshipped separately. The rituals for both are different. Those who stay in Mother Taraâs room perform her puja, and here, the priest performs the Kali Puja. The homa continues all night. Chanting and rituals take place, and there is also a Bali (sacrifice). We follow the tradition of sacrifice here.
INTERVIEWER:
I believe you only allow vegetable/fruit sacrifices and not animal sacrifices?
GURU:
No, I have never allowed animal sacrifice. Since it is a Shakti puja, a sacrifice is necessary, but we use ash-gourds, pumpkins, or bananas.
INTERVIEWER:
Guru Dev, another question. When you used to perform the puja yourself, the environment was different. The feeling you had then versus how the puja is conducted nowâhow do you compare the two?
GURU:
Look, things change. You canât hold onto everything forever. I am 75â76 years old now. Itâs not wise for me to take such risks anymore. My disciples and associates now perform the puja, and they do it very well. Some of them are quite learned. I sit and observe. I provide guidanceâhow to do this, how to do that. This includes everything from the fire ritual to the sacrifice.
GURU:
Regarding the sacrifice, we received a khargo (sacrificial sword) that is nearly 150 years old. It came from Tibet. Someone brought it and gave it to me, saying they couldn't keep it and asked if I would accept it. Ever since we received that sword, the tradition of sacrifice using it began here. It was Mother's will. I never used it for animal sacrifice. We use it to sacrifice the gourds and fruits that Mother "sent" to us via that 150-year-old Tibetan sword. It is very beautiful.
GURU:
In the past, we faced a lot of rain. During Mahalaya, it has rained heavily almost every single year for 30 years. There were storms and downpours. We would perform the puja while water dripped from the roof. Back then, we didnât have electric lights; we used oil lamps. The fire from the cremation pyres would be blazing, and we performed the rituals by that light.
INTERVIEWER:
Guru Dev, I remember once when you were performing puja in that room, water was leaking from the roof, there was hay on the floor, and a pyre was burning nearby. The pyre was almost drenched, but your homa fire remained perfectly steady. There were no disruptions.
GURU:
No, there were no disruptions then. Itâs just that weâve had rain almost every year. I canât recall a single year without rain. Sometimes it would rain all day and suddenly stop at 4:00 PM.
GURU:
When the dignitaries arrive, we have speeches and we also present mementos to the guests. We still do that.
INTERVIEWER:
Guru Dev, I want to share a memory from when you were performing the puja. One day, the sky turned pitch black with clouds. Your followers were worried, asking what would happen if it rained and leaked through the roof. You assured them, "Don't worry, it won't rain." And it didn't; the clouds cleared away.
GURU:
Yes, things like that have happened. We do certain things to ensure the rain doesn't disrupt the people, because we serve a lot of food. In the past, 1,500 to 2,000 people would eat. Now, the numbers have dwindled, but about 300 to 400 people still eat.
INTERVIEWER:
That reduction is likely due to the COVID restrictions?
GURU:
Yes, exactly. Previously, the companions of the deceased would sit on the floor in that large room and be served. I would check on them to make sure nothing was lacking.
INTERVIEWER:
And there was always more than enough food.
GURU:
There was always a surplus. The next morning, we would load the leftover food into vans and distribute it throughout the neighborhoods. I remember that well. But we can't do that anymore; everything is strictly controlled now. Mr. Pallab Das, the Chairman, has repeatedly asked me not to make it too large due to COVID. We follow his guidance. We still invite the counselors, and the SP, officials from the IB department, the MLA, and the MP also visit. The puja itself is beautiful. The Kali Puja and Tara Puja are conducted wonderfully. The homa lasts all night. Now we don't have to worry about rain because we have a proper roof over our heads. I don't have to worry about Mother getting wet. She is safe under the roof now.
INTERVIEWER:
Guru Dev, one question: are women allowed to attend the puja?
GURU:
No, I don't allow it. It is a cremation ground, after all. On Amavasya, Purnima, and Ekadashi, the cremation ground is "awake" (spiritually active). Householders shouldn't visit then. People usually only come to a cremation ground when someone dies. But since I live here, women started coming here. However, I forbid it during certain rituals like the Mora Puja (corpse puja). We perform a corpse puja and corpse meditation every year. A body is brought in, and we perform rituals. I still perform the Mora Puja myself; no one else has the courage to do it yet.
GURU:
For 30 years, no one saw the corpse puja. But last year, people saw it because they brought cameras and filmed it. Otherwise, we never showed it. People aren't afraid anymore; they just stand there taking pictures. During that time, the gates to the furnace area are opened, so everyone can get in. That is a specialty here. Without a body, the puja doesn't happen. And somehow, a body always arrives right on time. Even if no bodies came all day, one will arrive just before the puja starts. The families often want their deceased to be part of the puja, believing it will grant them eternal heaven. They willingly offer the body for the ritual, saying, "Perform the puja for as long as you like, then we will proceed with the cremation."
GURU:
So, I am requesting the devotees: please don't come before Mahalaya. Right now, about 100 people are showing up every morning. I cannot see anyone right now because I am busy with invitations and arrangements. I have to go out and manage things. Also, there is the matter of collecting donations. It's strangeâwe usually have no money, but on that day, money just appears from somewhere. I ask my close associates to donate so the puja can happen.
GURU:
I ask the devotees again to come only after Mahalaya. The temple is currently very cluttered. I am struggling to find space myself. Please don't crowd the area now. Come a day after Mahalaya. We will be awake all night on Mahalaya, so we won't be able to see anyone the following day. Please come from Thursday onwards, and we will see you then.
INTERVIEWER:
Respects to you, Guru Dev.
GURU:
My blessings.