The Bengali Association of Malta celebrated the Durga Puja festival for the 13th time in Malta on October 22, with a large gathering of Indians and members of other communities from the Indian subcontinent.
Bengalis are the speakers of the Bangla language and owe their origin to the states of West Bengal, India and Bangladesh.
Traditionally held for 10 days in the month of Ashwin (September–October), the seventh month of the Hindu calendar, Durga Puja is the biggest festival of Hindu Bengalis. The festival celebrates the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon king Mahishasura. Epitomising the victory of good over evil, the festival also celebrates the divine feminine (Shakti).
The celebration of Durga Puja in Malta started in 2011 with about seven Bengali families from India and Bangladesh. Its popularity increased over the years as more Indians and their co-religionists from Bangladesh and Nepal joined the Puja.
Several Maltese friends of the community, including many important dignitaries, have visited celebrations from time to time. Former foreign minister Evarist Bartolo visited with his wife in 2021, while Owen Bonnici, Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, and Fr Dionysius Mintoff attended last year.
In 2021, Durga Puja in Kolkata was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Over the years, the Indian city has emerged as the geographical and cultural heart of the national and global celebrations of the festival.
In Malta, the number of attendees has increased over the years. From its modest beginnings with 75 devotees, the Puja had about 500 participants this year.
According to the Bengali Association president, Joydeep Ghose Roy, the support shown by their local friends in Malta shows why the country is known for its hospitality to those who have made Malta their home and has added to Malta’s reputation as a welcoming and multicultural destination.
The Puja this year hosted Gloria Gangte, High Commissioner of India to Malta, and Rebecca Buttigieg, the Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality, among other distinguished guests who enjoyed a varied cultural programme.