Cuttack : With the Puja festivities round the corner, can the unique “Chandi Medhas” of filigree fame, be far behind? In order to make the heritage enthusiasts of the Twin Cities conversant with the rich traditions of “Chandi Medhas” of the Millennium City, the members of Cuttack Heritage Walks (CHW) today organized a memorable and beautifully curated heritage trail to visualize the living tradition of the wonderful filigree work relating to “Chandi Medhas”, which started from Madhusudan Sangrahalaya near Sailabala Women’s College early this morning.
While around 40 heritage enthusiasts joined this special heritage walk of CHW, which was the 65th edition of its heritage walks and the participants were from various walks of life, eminent writer, ex-bureaucrat and former journalist and native “Katakia” Raja Parija was the expert, who had written several books on the Millennium City, spoke on the genesis of the tradition and also the socio-economic dynamics of the people associated with the Chandi Medhas of Cuttack (including the contributions of the Muslim artisans who make various other Medhas other than filigree). It was really a delight for the walkers to see the great tradition live and mingle with the richness of Cuttack ‘s history.
Author, heritage enthusiast, academician and convener of CHW Dipak Samantarai led the show and the participants could know how the Puja started at Binod Bihari in the early Fifties and during late fifties Choudhury Bazaar had the first “Chandi Medha” and then after the year 2000 the various local pandals started taking up the decoration with their stride.
Raja Parija, through his lucid narrative could brief the participants how the “Chandi Medhas” are made with three basic elements and how much money goes into their making, their periodic cleaning and how the unique “bhaichara” or brotherhood among the Hindus and Muslims is also reflected in the tradition of the “Medha” making silver and zari, their maintenance and the attraction the pandals have with the glittering designs on display along with the deities on the pandals.
Among the prominent pandals, the heritage enthusiasts visited Kanika Chhak (Ramgarh pandal), Mahadev Puja Committee Tulasipur for its unique decorative design which is unique and different than filigree, new “Chandi Medha” of Tulasipur Durga Puja Committee, Deulasahi Puja Mandap, Kafla Bazaar, Chandini Chowk and Choudhury Bazaar.
Apart from the pandal hoping to know the rich traditions of the “Chandi Medhas” the heritage enthusiasts also savoured the traditional Odia sweets from near age-old sweet stalls near Chandini Chowk and also “dahibara aloodam” from their favourite counters as the Millennium City is dotted with numerous of such eateries, which do a brisk business during the Durga Puja holidays.
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