By Neena Bhandari
Sydney, 07.10.2008 (IANS) Thousands of Bengali immigrants and other members of the Indian diaspora ushered in the Durga Puja celebrations over the weekend with much fanfare and gusto here. Colourful pandals (marquees) adorned with spring flowers and intricately carved deities, women draped in dazzling Baluchari, Dhakai, Tangail and Kantha saris and men in traditional kurta and dhoti created an aura of Durga Puja back home.
Partho and Shampa Das recall their first puja here in 1978 when they had just migrated to Sydney from Mumbai. “At that time there were about 200 Bengali families,” says Das, a mechanical engineer, who moved the puja venue from his home to a school hall as the numbers swelled.