It was this Gurkha regiment jawans who initiated the tradition of worshipping Goddess Durga 140 years back in the ground behind Bara Bazar, which is the present site of Nepali Durga Mandir. Initially, there was no idol and ‘puja’ was performed by military Gurkha jawans.

Later on, the responsibility of performing was handed over to the Nepali settlers of the area. Nepali citizens of Shillong have been zealously shouldering the responsibility till today with more fervor  and grandeur.

There was a time when 25 to 30 buffaloes used to be sacrificed or offered as “Bali” before Mother Durga. Buffalo is considered the symbol of evil or the demon – Mahishasura – and hence sacrificed in Durga Puja festival that epitomises the victory of good over evil.

Today, Durga Puja is the biggest annual outdoor festival in this capital city of Meghalaya and with the time it has gone far beyond  only religious parameters. The music, dances, dramas and art displayed and performed during Durga Puja festival  play an integral role in uniting different communities living together in this picturesque hill city.

Early forms of Durga Puja mainly  revolved around puja  organised  and performed  in various private residences of  Hindu Bengali settlers  in Shillong ever since the inception of this hill town in 1865. The first idol (pratima) was brought from Krishna Nagar  in West Bengal  by steamer and train upto Gauhati (now Guwahati)  and then by bullock cart from Gauhati to Shillong.

In 1901, the Shillong Hindu Dharmasabha was established and Durga Puja was celebrated at Jagannath Mandir by the residents of Thana Road, Jail Road and Quinton road.

Though motor services were introduced in 1906 to carry passengers but it was not possible to carry the Durga idol from Gauhati to Shillong  on those motor cars and the bullock carts were still used for the purpose.

It is indeed  a matter of grave concern that these artisans are increasingly opting for other professions and it is feared that time will arrive once again when idols may have to be transshipped from outside  as used to be done 60 years back.

It was after the lorry services were introduced first by Planters Co (stores) and later on by Commercial Carrying Company (by N.K.B & Co) that the idols were brought by lorries (trucks). But there used to be a lot of damages caused to the idols and hence some of the artisans used to accompany the idols from Gauhati, to repair the damaged idols. It was in 1914, the Durga Puja celebrations started in Jail Road. By 1925, there were three more Durga Puja celebration venues came up — one in the compound of Bhavani Barua (Ex I.G. Assam) predominantly worshipped by the Assamese community, one near Bara Bazar by Gurkhas from Army and third in Police Lane (now police reserve)

It is to be noted that all the idols were brought by Commercial Carrying Company free of charges. The essentials required for the ritual were also brought from Gauhati as most of  those materials were not available in Shillong.

In 1927, Durga Puja celebrations started in Rilbong. Gradually, as the population of Shillong increased, the number of venues for Durga Puja celebration too went up  and by 1950 almost all the localities were having their own Durga Puja pandals during the festival every autumn.

As on 2011, there were not less than 60 Durga Pujas (public) and it is  increasing every year. Gradually, more and more professional artists and decorators   are being used by organizers to make unique architectural models for puja pandals as well as for designing of the interior of pandals. It has added more colours and lustre to ambience of puja pandals of course at a cost.

However, the new trend of having sprawling and gorgeous  puja  pandal  often lead to massive traffic congestion on the city roads to such uncontrollable dimension that it is indeed becomes  difficult  for people to visit those pandals in peak hours during the three puja days.

The sculpture of Durga idol itself has evolved and changed over the years. The worship always depicts Goddess Durga with her four children and two attendant deities and some banana tree figures.

In the olden days, all five idols would be depicted in a single frame. Today, the trend is to depict each idol separately. Since 1958, the Durga idols have been being prepared in Shillong city   in various places. Previously, such workshops used to be in Thana Road, Municipality Complex and in Laban. Now-a-days, because of increasing difficulties faced by idol makers these are now confined to mainly two places - near the Keating Road and  behind the City Dhaba, Oakland.

It is indeed  a matter of grave concern that these artisans are increasingly opting for other professions and it is feared that time will arrive once again when idols may have to be transshipped from outside  as used to be done 60 years back.

In the early 1990s, as the political atmosphere was not very conducive for celebrating the biggest Hindu festival as there was no  proper security for the puja pandals because of presence of  a section of intolerant religious fanatics, a central puja committee (CPC) was formed to assist and have a cohesion between different communities as well as with the local administration.

Ever since the central puja committee has been formed the law and order situation during puja days usually remain peaceful and the immersion  of idols on Vijaya Dashomi Day is carried out in a disciplined and orderly  manner. The CPC, deserves thanks from the city residents  for making this happen.

The Central Puja Committee arranges a competition every year among the drum beaters of different puja pandals. These drum beaters mostly come from North Bengal. Apart from financial assistance in the form of cash prizes, they are offered a recognition certificate from the CPC after the competition.

At the end of the four-day celebrations , the idols are taken out for immersion in a procession via the main roads amid low  decibel chants of Bolo Durga Mai Ki Jai (glory to mother durga) and aashchhe bochhor abar hobe (it happen again next year) and drumbeats  to the river Umtru.

From 1979, all the idols meant for immersion are carried on shoulders of devotees and all the puja committees used to go to Umtru in procession via Police Bazaar. People from all the sections of the society used to wait near the Old Assembly House and enjoy the sight of almost all the idols being kept  in one place.

Now a days, the idols are carried by trucks  along the route decided by local police station till Chief Secretary’s bungalow from where  the procession is followed  till they reach the bank of river Umtru. Idols’ immersion is symbolic of the departure of the deity to her home in the Himalayas  with her husband Lord Shiva. Finally, the festivities come to an end with devotees returning to their respective puja pandals in the city and in the tradition of Vijaya Dashomi, embrace each other and exchange sweet meats before parting ways with a pledge to meet again next puja.