Mukherjee family’s Durga Puja enters its 80th year
(From left) Tanisha, Kajol, Tanuja, Ayan and Sharbani Mukherjee. Photo: Instagram
Durga Puja in Mumbai means the gathering of Bollywood stars. One of the major attractions of the festival is the Mukherjee family’s Durga Puja. This year marks the 80th year of the North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja. Actress Kajol attended the unveiling of the idol of Goddess Durga alongside her mother Tanuja and sister Tanisha Mukherjee. Actress Rani Mukerji and director Ayan Mukerji, who belong to the same family, also play important roles in celebrating the festival. The celebrations will continue until October 20.
Known as the “Mukherjee family’s puja,” the event began in 1948. Film producer Sashadhar Mukherjee and his wife Satirani Mukherjee initiated the puja with the support of several others. Sashadhar Mukherjee was a well known producer in Hindi cinema. In addition to his association with Bombay Talkies and Filmistan Studios, he also received the Padma Shri award.
A 26 member founding committee was formed under Sashadhar Mukherjee’s leadership. The first puja was held at Shri Mandal Hall in Santacruz, Mumbai. The event later grew in scale as its venue changed. Over the years, many stars, including Joy Mukherjee, Dilip Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Rani Mukerji and Kajol, have been associated with the festival.
This year’s pavilion and idol draw inspiration from the architectural style of the Guruvayur Temple in Kerala. The approximately 17 foot tall idol was created by Kolkata based artist Amit Pal and his team. According to the organizers, more than 500,000 people attend the puja every year.
