Shillong: The heritage Durga Puja at Shella, a tribal hamlet on the southern slopes of Meghalaya’s Khasi Hills near the India-Bangladesh border, is being organised by one of the oldest Ramakrishna Mission centres in the northeast, continuing a tradition of cultural harmony that began in 1931.Records show that Shella was the first among all Ramakrishna Mission ashramas in the northeast to observe Durga Puja. The hamlet, on the banks of a rivulet, is about 45 km from Sohra (Cherrapunji).As at the over 600-year-old Nartiang Durgabari, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, in the Jaintia Hills, the pujas at Shella are primarily performed by members of the indigenous community.“What makes Shella’s Durga Puja truly unique is the wholehearted participation of the local Khasi community, with Khasi children taking an active role in the arrangements. Their devotion and enthusiasm beautifully reflect how the spirit of Maa Durga transcends cultural boundaries, bringing people together through faith and tradition,” a social media post of the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Sohra-Cherrapunjee highlights.Before Partition, residents travelled to Sylhet, now in Bangladesh, for Durga Puja and other festivals. In 1931, Swami Prabhanandaji (Ketaki Maharaj) began the Durga Puja at the local Ramakrishna Ashrama to ease the hardships of travelling outside the region.Since then, the celebrations are centred on the Ramakrishna Mission Shella Sub-Centre established in 1924.The festivities feature traditional worship, special reverence for Maa Chandi on Maha Navami, followed by Lakshmi Puja and Kali Puja celebrations.Durga Puja celebrations began across Meghalaya on Maha Saptami on Saturday. The Garo Hills, which has the highest number of pandals in the state, witnessed participation from people across communities.
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