The October gray was filled with color at the Durga Puja celebration of Oulu’s Bengali community

We visited the event in person to document how the Bengali community in Oulu celebrated the occasion in the PSOAS Heinäpää clubroom. In addition to historical material, we also collect contemporary objects, photographs, phenomena, both tangible and intangible cultural heritage for our collections.

Intangible cultural heritage includes traditions, skills, methods, and phenomena that are transferred from generation to generation, and they adapt with time. The goal of the museums is to ensure that invisible traditions important to the community are preserved as cultural heritage. By cooperating with communities, museums ensure that experiences, information, and stories on top of traditional items are recorded in our collections.

Colorful celebration

Durga Puja is an annual festival originating from the Indian subcontinent, during which the Hindu mother goddess Durga and her four children are worshipped. The celebration in Heinäpää differs in some respects from traditions in the Indian subcontinent. For example, the ceremonial immersion of the idol cannot be carried out in Oulu’s rivers, so the immersion ritual has been adapted accordingly.

Despite the rituals, Durga Puja is not only a religious festival but also a celebration of cultural elements such as dance, music, and food. We museum professionals were able to enjoy colorful clothing, skillful dance performances, and delicious Bengali vegetarian dishes. Oulu Museum’s photographic archive grew by dozens of new photos through this documentation, enriching and diversifying our collections. Thank you to the Bengali community of Oulu for letting us be part of your festive day!

Sources

Durga Puja is listed as part of the Living Heritage Wiki maintained by the Finnish Heritage Agency.