Oikotan Durga Pujo 2023 – Celebrating harmony and connection between Kolkata and Brisbane

Oikotan Inc. (formerly Oikotan) recently organised the third edition of its most significant festival on the 28th and 29th of October 2023 at the Albany Creek Community Centre. “Durga Pujo” this year was made special by the theme and the introduction of guest performer, Ujaan Mukherjee who is up and coming singer from Kolkata. The baby is growing and 2023 marked an exceptional year in the journey they set out on, where more people joined in along with dignitaries from the state government, local council and other associations.

Making of and setting up Pandal – The Brisbane and Kolkata Connection
This year, the theme was based on a rather challenging (the most to date) connection between the two most important cities for most of the participants, members, and organisers – Kolkata and Brisbane. Most of the members of Oikotan Inc. belong to the city of joy, Kolkata and life has brought them to Brisbane. After days of brainstorming and model building, the team finally decided to portray the connection between the two cities through the artwork and installations (also known as pandals).
Months of relentless hard work and dedication went into turning the concept into a reality. With the use of curtains, ropes, cutouts, and wedding arches and after countless trips to Bunnings, what the team managed to put up and showcase caught the attention of not only the participants but also social media followers and the dignitaries.

Participants and important Dignitaries
Oikotan Durga Pujo 2023 saw representation from both the state government in Tim Mander, state member for Everton and Cath Tonks from the City of Moreton Bay. The final day was graced by the presence of Swami Atmeshananda from Vedanta Centre, Brisbane and Usha Chanda and Umesh Chanda representing GOPIO (Global Organization of People of Indian Origin), Brisbane Indian Times and Australian Indian Radio.

Pujo Rituals and Food
With the introduction of a 2-day affair, day 1 marked the observation of boron(welcoming of Maa Durga) and Saptami Puja. Day 2 comprised Ashtami, Anjali and Nabami puja followed by Dashami Puja, immersion(Bhashan in Bengali) and Boron. While the highlight from day 1 was Kolabou(Banana tree, another form of goddess Durga) bathing, day 2 was made special by the traditional ritual of bidding farewell to the goddess by the women. Women draped in red and white sarees (the theme introduced his year) took part in the “Sindur Khela”, applying vermillion on the idol’s face and feet with betel leaf, offering sweets and smearing each other with “sindur”.
No puja is complete without bhog, prasad (prasad) and non-vegetarian spreads(a must of Bengalis during Pujo). A quintessential Bengali spread comprising of khichuri, begun, chutney and mishti brought smiles to the faces of the participants at lunch while the star of the show, mutton(a must for Bengalis became one of the main attractions of the final day/day 2.

Competition and Cultural Program
Among many new initiatives, Team Oikotan proudly organised puja-related competitions for participants in three different categories. After some close battles, two of the very best were crowned champions and won exciting prizes.
Cultural programs in its second year saw an overwhelming response from participants who showcased their singing, dancing and acting skills. From Gulaabi Aakhei to Ami je tomar, evergreen/retro/Bollywood, there was something for everyone regardless of age.
Finally what made this year’s Pujo was the fact that Oikotan Inc. hosted Ujaan Mukherjee, a budding young singing star from Kolkata who made her debut in Brisbane and made the members and participants get up and dance and lent her voice to all of our favourite songs, ending the festival on a high with the promise – “Aschhe Bochhor Abar Hobe”(Next year it will happen again.

Uttar Pradesh Association of Australia (QLD Chapter) inaugurated

The Uttar Pradesh Association of Australia (QLD Chapter) was inaugurated on 28th Oct 2023 during their 1st Diwali Celebration as the UP Community. It was founded by Ms Tanvi Goel(Founder of AusIndia Travel, Vice President of Bharath Jagruthi Australia and part of many Indian organizations such as ICAQ, APQI to name a few and a very active community leader for the past 12 years) and Mr Gurpreet Singh(Owner- QLD Skips Hire) back in December 2022.
UPAA-QLD has legends like Ms Sneha Gautam, Ms Sonam Agarwal and Mr Pasupati Nath Dwivedi, who are building the UP community with passion. In the last ten months, the team has gathered over one hundred people from the UP community with just two catchups. UPAA was first started in Victoria by Dr Santosh and the team in 2016, and together, the team is growing to another part of Australia.
The event was held at Desi Junction, Logan Central and was adorned with colourful lights, rangolis, and diyas, which added to the festive atmosphere.
The celebration began with a traditional Lakshmi puja, followed by a game performance by the Tapori Dance group, a DJ who played popular Bollywood songs. One of the most popular games was “Tambola,” similar to Bingo. The game was played with great enthusiasm, and the winners were awarded prizes.
The Brisbane Inaugural event was graced by many delegates, including a well-known personality in the Indian Diaspora, Pinky Singh Ji(Immigration policy chair for LNP), Mr Ganesh Despande (Secretary of Indian Council of Australia, President of BRIMM), Mr Pankaj Agarwal(President of APQI) to name a few, they cut the ribbon to unveil the banner of UPAA (Qld Chapter) with a short speech. They congratulated the UPAA on the chapter’s launch and passed on best wishes for Diwali.
The event was not only sponsored but generously supported by many sponsors including Mahindra Automotive, Education Embassy, QLD Skip hires, AusIndia Travel, Divya Jyoti Jagruti Sansthan, Northside Mechanicals & Tyres, Loaney Home loan expert, Blue Sky Solar, Customised Gifts co, Salt N Spice Indian and Islander groceries, Events by HKM, Indian Mums Connect, Priyanka Boutique, Brisbane Indian Times, and Australian Indian Radio, Parikh Digital Photography beautifully captured the event.
The event was full of many prizes for kids and adults; it was fun with a sumptuous dinner and a U.P.-style DJ dance party by DJ Sandy of DesiBeats.
In conclusion, the Diwali celebration in UP style was a grand success. It brought together people from different communities and cultures to celebrate this joyous occasion. The event was filled with music, dance, food, and fun games that added to the festive atmosphere. It truly captured the essence of Diwali – spreading happiness and joy.

Lalithakalalaya School of Bharatanatyam’s 8th annual concert

Lalithakalalaya School of Bharatanatyam’s 8th annual concert held recently, was very enjoyable and culturally enriching. There was a diversity in the choice of costumes, dances, music and inclusive of all age groups. The dances were all choreographed and curated by the guru and founder of the school, Smt Padmalakshmi Sriram on the concept of “Nava Vidha Bhakthi “, the 9 forms of bhakti, intended in emoting the essence of devotion, just in time for the Navarathiri season.

The first item was a demonstration of the twelve names of Lord Ganesha presented by Smt Padmalakshmi. Her energy, vibrance and creative exploration of Lord Ganesha was a treat for the audience. She set the stage for the evening and provided the inspiration for her students to aspire and achieve a high standard.

Bharatanatyam is a story telling dance in which the dancers use poses, expressions and hand movements to communicate mythological stories.  The students presented mythological stories of Lord Nadarajah, Vishnu, Rama, Krishna and Hanuman. The expressions, grace and synchronisation of the dancers were commendable.  A noteworthy feature of the evening was the interaction of the dancers with the audience, which injected a lot of energy and life in the auditorium and much enjoyed by the audience.  The students also enacted a thematic dance drama of Lord Nadarajah, something new for the audience. It depicted the dialogue the devotee engages with Lord Nadarajah in the journey of life, from birth to death.  It was meticulously choreographed, exhibiting intense vibrance, energy and intricate movements involving a significant number of dancers, performing alongside the guru. It was not only enjoyable watching this drama but also brought the realisation that the Lord only appears when there is a total surrender.

Salangai pooja is the first milestone in a dancer’s journey after learning dance under a guru for a few years. Sisters, Harsha and Haron Shibu, due to unforeseen circumstances could not join their team when they performed their Salangai pooja. Both the sisters crossed this milestone presenting the Pushpanjali and Alarippu and group performance with their salangai pooja batch, the Sapta Tandavam, the seven vigorous dances of Lord Shiva.

Lalithakalalaya School of Bharatanatyam has students who have just turned three. Teaching these students is not easy as it requires patience, effort and dedication. It was a proud moment for the parents to see their children on stage and demonstrating the mudras and Ganesha slokam while chanting.

Another presentation which received a great ovation from the audience is the Kolattam / dandiya dance by a group of ladies trained within a month, mostly above sixty years with minimal dancing experience.  Smt Padmalakshmi wanted to provide the pleasure and joy of dancing to those who did not have an opportunity to do so and also convey the message that age is no barrier to learn anything.

Smt Padmalakshmi affirms that the goal of the school is not only to teach dancing but also imbibe the fundamental values of discipline, respect, courtesy and hard work. She says that she treats each and every student as her own and her duty is to motivate them to achieve their best. Much thought goes in showing this to the students.  Her students were made to feel special in seeing the collage of their individual photos displayed on the “wall of fame” in the foyer. All the students were also thrilled to receive an individualised hexagon wooden tile picture of themselves from the school. A number of students were also presented with certificates for dedication.

Oikotan Durga Pujo 2022 – The Second Edition of the themed Pujo in Brisbane

Oikotan Inc. (formerly Oikotan) has grown leaps and bounds in the last one year since its inception in May 2021. 2022 marked a very special year in the journey they set out on where they organized their second edition of “Durga Pujo” in Brisbane. This year was even more special for them as the event marked the beginning of a lot of new traditions.

New Traditions – New idol and two-day affair

This year, participants and team members offered their prayers to the new idol which was unveiled for the first time to the public this year.
Oikotan Inc. in only their second year also managed to start a multi-day celebration of their biggest festival/event over the weekends which marked the beginning of a new tradition which will be followed for several years in the future.

The making of their “Pandal”

Oikotan Durga Pujo, a theme based “pujo”, was all about replicating terracotta mandir adorned with intricate detailing and hand drawn wall art. The planning and execution took two-three months to deliver from procuring of materials to cutting to shape and painting on them. While most of the décor was procured in Australia, some had to be ordered from India to make it look more beautiful and complete the look.

Participants and important Dignitaries

Oikotan Inc. in just their second year managed to double their participation from last year’s number with a cumulative footfall of over 500 people over the two days.

This year the festival was inaugurated by Mr Jimmy Sullivan MP, Member for Stafford who represented the Premier of Queensland, Annastacia Palaszczuk, along with Councillor Cath Tonks of the Moreton Bay Regional Council. Day 2 of the event signified lighting of the lamp by Cr. Cath Tonks and Peter John Flannery, Mayor of the Moreton Bay Regional Council.

Pujo Rituals

The traditional Durga Pujo meal of ‘Khichudi’, ‘Labda’ and ‘Chatni’ arranged by Oikotan not only hit the right spot of traditionalism, but it was also appreciated by each participant on day 2 where over 150+ people had the traditional lunch while over 180+ people indulged in some lip-smacking Indian meals on the first day. Food stall was a welcome addition for all as chai, samosas and pani puri (Phuchka in Bengali) were sold out within the first couple of hours. The fun was doubled up with relentless Adda (casual chit chats), pictures  with Maa Durga in a relaxed yet a celebratory environment.

Debi Boron, Sindur Khela and Traditional Dance

Traditionally, Dashami marks the end of the puja rituals. However, the age-old tradition of giving a farewell to “Maa Durga” by women draped in beautiful traditional sarees was followed at the Oikotan pujo as well where the members bid their beloved daughter a final send off for this year often with tears in their eyes following that up with applying red vermillion on each other’s face which is yet another age-old tradition. While sadness creeped in, celebrations were still on as participants and team members from age groups soon broke into the traditional dance form to the tunes of a very traditional drumbeats, “Dhak er awaj”.

Cultural Program

Yet another first for this year and following the tradition back home in Kolkata, team Oikotan organized cultural program on both the days. New and old members showcased their creative sides ranging from dance, recitation to singing and drama. Some of the core team members made their debut in a drama which was a highlight of the day alongside a brilliant Bharatnatyam dance performance by one of the participants. Day 2 performances were equally matched by audio drama, recitation by one of the youngest members along with a tribute to the legendary KK with the proceedings being concluded by a fashion show where more than 20 members showed off heir traditional attire to the loud and cheering crowd. A sumptuous meal soon followed thereby signalling an end to Oikotan Durga Pujo 2022.