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Harakutir Bari’s Durga Puja Evolves From Baithaks to Reels
Harakutir Bari is an old family home in north Kolkata.
The family says its history goes back 334 years.
It also says its Durga Puja began when an ancestor found a small metal idol of the goddess.
The Puja lasts ten days and starts after Mahalaya.
The family keeps special traditions, including a distinctive kind of Durga idol and traditional foods.
The house was once known for music gatherings, and today it hosts cultural events too.
Archishman Ray-Banerjee took charge of continuing the Puja in 2018.
He is sharing its history on social media and inviting younger people to take part.
Harakutir Bari in north Kolkata traces its history back 334 years.
Family tradition says its Durga Puja began after an ancestor found an 11-inch Ashtadhatu idol.
The ten-day Puja begins after Mahalaya and retains distinctive rituals and idol iconography.
Traditional offerings include manikchhanar kalia and chandani kheer.
Since taking charge in 2018, Archishman Ray-Banerjee has used social media and events to engage younger people.
- Who
- The Ray-Banerjee family, with the Puja now continued by Archishman Ray-Banerjee.
- What
- Harakutir Bari’s Durga Puja combines traditional rituals with contemporary events and social media outreach.
- Where
- Harakutir Bari, on Pathuriaghata Street in north Kolkata.
- When
- The family says its history spans 334 years; Archishman Ray-Banerjee took charge of the Puja in 2018.
- Why
- Ray-Banerjee says engaging younger generations and sharing the house’s legacy can help keep its history alive.
Key facts
- Location
- Pathuriaghata Street, north Kolkata
- Family history
- The family traces the house’s history back 334 years.
- Puja duration
- Ten days, beginning after Mahalaya
- Distinctive idol features
- An ekchala idol; Lakshmi and Saraswati without their customary mounts; and a Bishnupur-style horse in place of the traditional Bengali lion
- Traditional offerings
- Manikchhanar kalia and chandani kheer
- Current custodian
- Archishman Ray-Banerjee took charge in 2018, following his grandmother Kamala Banerjee.
- Contemporary activities
- The house hosts pop-up events, photography exhibitions, musical conferences, and art and craft events.
Quotes
Dr Archishman Ray-Banerjee
12th-generation member of the Harakutir Ray-Banerjee family
“The Durga Puja itself is conducted according to traditional rituals and has retained its distinctive iconography, including a ekchala idol, Lakshmi and Saraswati without their customary mounts, and a Bishnupur-style horse replacing the traditional Bengali lion, reflecting the family’s roots in Bishnupur.”
telegraphindia.com
“This house never resisted celebrating Bengal’s culture. So, be it from 19th-century classical music baithaks to 2026’s pop-up dhunuchi event attended mostly by Gen Zs — Harakutir has always kept its doors open to such occasions.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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