Dear Friends,
As the Chairman of London Duurga Puja Dusserah Association, I offer my heartfelt invitation &
welcome you to the Durga Puja celebrations at Hampstead Town Hall, 213 Haverstock Hill, Belsize
Park, London NW3 4QP from 1st October – 5th October.
The London Durga Puja at Hampstead Town Hall (commonly known as Belsize Park Puja due to the
proximity to the tube station of the same name) started in the 1960s is reputed to be the longest
established Durga Puja celebration outside of India.
Back then, as one of the only Durga Puja’s outside of India, people used to visit from all over Europe to
come and celebrate at this puja.
As one of the oldest Durga Puja’s in London we are also very proud to be celebrating our tenth year as
a fully registered UK Charity, and in the same year that Durga Puja was declared as an Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Unfortunately, this is also the saddest year for me and my family. My wife, Jolly, who has been
connected to this puja for over 40 years, sadly passed away last year on the 18th July 2021. She left
me, my two sons, Bobby & Bappa, daughters-in-law, Anju & Laura, and two grandsons, Kishor & Nikhil
in a sea of despair & sorrow.
Jolly has joined the prominent galaxy of missed people who were connected to this puja, such as
Soumen Dutta (Manna-da), who re-mortgaged his own house to help fund the first puja. Nabi
Chatterjee, the priest assisted by his brother, Dilip who performed the Puja. Sita Shaw, who cooked all
the khichuri & Bhog for all four days. We also miss Manab Mazumdar who not only woke at 4am to buy
fruit and flowers for the Puja, he also brought an array of famous people to this Puja, such as Sharmilla
Tagore, Raj Kapoor & Biplab Mondal.
We’d like to take this opportunity to honour the memories of these past members and others who are
no longer with us, and continue to guide & hand over the cultural and religious baton to the younger
generations.
“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on... Not all our tears can wash out a word of it.”
Satyen Barua
Chairman
As the Chairman of London Duurga Puja Dusserah Association, I offer my heartfelt invitation &
welcome you to the Durga Puja celebrations at Hampstead Town Hall, 213 Haverstock Hill, Belsize
Park, London NW3 4QP from 1st October – 5th October.
The London Durga Puja at Hampstead Town Hall (commonly known as Belsize Park Puja due to the
proximity to the tube station of the same name) started in the 1960s is reputed to be the longest
established Durga Puja celebration outside of India.
Back then, as one of the only Durga Puja’s outside of India, people used to visit from all over Europe to
come and celebrate at this puja.
As one of the oldest Durga Puja’s in London we are also very proud to be celebrating our tenth year as
a fully registered UK Charity, and in the same year that Durga Puja was declared as an Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Unfortunately, this is also the saddest year for me and my family. My wife, Jolly, who has been
connected to this puja for over 40 years, sadly passed away last year on the 18th July 2021. She left
me, my two sons, Bobby & Bappa, daughters-in-law, Anju & Laura, and two grandsons, Kishor & Nikhil
in a sea of despair & sorrow.
Jolly has joined the prominent galaxy of missed people who were connected to this puja, such as
Soumen Dutta (Manna-da), who re-mortgaged his own house to help fund the first puja. Nabi
Chatterjee, the priest assisted by his brother, Dilip who performed the Puja. Sita Shaw, who cooked all
the khichuri & Bhog for all four days. We also miss Manab Mazumdar who not only woke at 4am to buy
fruit and flowers for the Puja, he also brought an array of famous people to this Puja, such as Sharmilla
Tagore, Raj Kapoor & Biplab Mondal.
We’d like to take this opportunity to honour the memories of these past members and others who are
no longer with us, and continue to guide & hand over the cultural and religious baton to the younger
generations.
“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on... Not all our tears can wash out a word of it.”
Satyen Barua
Chairman