In pictures: Indian diaspora in New Jersey celebrate Durga Puja with music, rituals and feasts

The beats of the dhaak, the fragrance of freshly prepared bhog and an array of cultural programmes brought a slice of Kolkata to Parsippany, New Jersey, as the Indian Community Centre of Garden State (ICC-GS) celebrated its 44th Durga Puja on October 10 and 11. 

A neighbourhood school was transformed into a festive gathering space, with members of the Bengali community coming together to organise two days of rituals and grand feasts.  

From decorating the venue and adorning the goddess to preparing meals and taking the stage, the members doubled up as decorators, cooks, musicians and performers to keep the celebrations alive. Here's a look.  

Music took centre stage with performances by Ananya Chakraborty of The Bohemian Baul, a collective known for blending traditional Bengali folk and Baul music with contemporary Bollywood mashups and covers. 

Fakira band brought another distinctive sound to the celebrations, fusing folk traditions such as Baul, Bhatiyali and Bhawaiya with rock influences, guitars and modern arrangements. 

For the community, the annual festivities are about more than just welcoming the goddess. They are a way of keeping their cultural roots alive, thousands of miles away from home. 

The story of ICCGS began in 1982, when a small group of young Bengali men and women, newly settled in the northeastern towns of New Jersey, dreamed of creating a space where they could preserve their traditions and celebrate Durga Puja together.  

What started with a handful of families gradually grew into a vibrant community, united by a shared devotion to Maa Durga and a determination to uphold the quintessential Bengali spirit. 

Although ICCGS has never owned a building of its own, the neighbourhood school opens its doors to the goddess every year. 

The idol, brought in from Kumartuli in Kolkata — the historic hub of idol-making where generations of artisans have shaped the goddess in clay — remains at the heart of the celebrations. 

With no holidays for Durga Puja in the United States, the five-day festival was condensed into a two-day affair. Preparations began on Friday night, as members worked late to decorate the venue and the idol. By Saturday, the school was alive with the beats of the dhaak, laughter and the excitement of the festivities. 

The cultural programme brought together performers of all ages, with children presenting a dance drama, while recitations, an adult drama and musical performances also added to the festive mood. 

The programme also paid tribute to actor Uttam Kumar on his birth centenary. 

The festivities also drew official participation, with Parsippany Mayor James R. Barberio joining the celebrations.  

ICC-GS typically welcomes between 350 and 400 people during its annual Durga Puja, turning the school into a meeting point for members of the community and their families. 

No Bengali celebration would be complete without food, and the two-day gathering was as much a culinary affair as a religious and cultural one. Guests tucked into a traditional spread of pulao, mutton curry, dal, pickle and sweets, while special bhog was offered to devotees as part of the rituals. 

The celebrations concluded with sindoor khela and boron, the farewell rituals that mark the goddess’s departure.