No loud music, little fanfare: How a border village in Assam is celebrating Durga Puja

Rangpur village in Assam’s Cachar district is celebrating Durga Puja with traditional rituals and devotional prayers, even as its residents live with security concerns and a lack of basic amenities along the India-Bangladesh border.

Located barely 100 metres from a barbed-wire fence marking the international border, the village has continued its annual celebrations despite apprehensions among residents about living in close proximity to the border. The Durga Puja mandap has become a gathering point for villagers, who have come together to offer prayers to Goddess Durga.

The priest at the puja mandap said the location of the celebrations, so close to the international border, creates a sense of fear among villagers. However, the concerns have not interrupted the religious observances, with residents continuing to participate in the festivities.

Unlike elaborate celebrations in urban areas, the puja in Rangpur is marked by simplicity. There are no elaborate lighting arrangements or DJ systems. Instead, devotional chants and traditional rituals define the celebrations, with people across generations, including elderly residents and children, gathering at the mandap to worship the goddess.

Border Security Force (BSF) personnel deployed in the area continue to patrol the border. Some of them also visit the puja pandal to receive prasad, as the festivities proceed amid the security presence.

The celebrations come against the backdrop of longstanding concerns over infrastructure and access to essential services in the village. Several political leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, visited Rangpur a few days ago. However, residents say their daily challenges remain largely unchanged.

The villagers continue to face a lack of proper roads and adequate access to drinking water, raising concerns over the pace of development in the border area. Despite visits by political leaders, residents say they are yet to see meaningful improvements in basic facilities.

Amid these challenges, the community has contributed according to its means to organise the annual celebrations. Residents have come together to sustain the tradition, ensuring that the festival continues despite the difficulties associated with life near the international border.

For the people of Rangpur, Durga Puja remains an occasion for collective worship and community participation, even as concerns over security, infrastructure and access to essential services continue to shape their everyday lives.