Before we delve into today’s story, I want to take a moment to express my deep appreciation for the formative years that shaped who I am today. My childhood in Kharagpur, West Bengal, holds an irreversible smudge in my heart, and it’s a privilege to share a little of those treasured memories with you. From the laughter echoing through narrow lanes to the simple joys that defined those early years, I am immensely thankful for the experiences that have moulded me. So, a special thanks to my childhood, to the streets of Kharagpur, and to the incredible people who played a role in this beautiful chapter of my life. 

Do u want to listen to a story? a story of a ritual, a celebration, a festival, a story untold to much of the world. 

Tusu- Makar Sankranti-Mere Bachpan wali

Tusu is a harvest festival. 

So, This is the story of Tusu !! Also called Tusu Parab. 

Kharagpur was then a semi-rural town. I am talking about the 80s and 90s era. We lived in an area called Sonamukhi which was almost a village. Our domestic help came from the nearest village, Bolorampur. Asha Masi belonged Kurmi community . Her daughter, Monju also accompanied her every day at work. She was my age. We had a good time on weekends together playing and drawing. 

The sun had just begun its ascent in the sky, marking the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti. For us the festival held not only cultural significance but also agricultural importance, signifying the onset of longer days and the gradual transition from winter to spring. In the quaint semi-village nestled amid fields of paddy and rice, the morning air was filled with anticipation. Tusu is a harvest festival. After cutting off all the paddy stacks, the last stack that remains in the field is called dinimai. This dinimai is Tusu. 

The head of the family brings the dinimai from the field and on that same day the young girls establish Tusu. It marks the beginning of the celebrations of a month-long festival. Tusu has no structure, they make kulungi or a hole in the wall. There were five things which were commonly used to establish and worship Tusu. 

one dhakon or earthen pot

 alochaal or boiled rice seeds

 durva or scotch grass 

the badu flower which grows on the sal tree 

and one cow-dung ball. 

Though Tusu Devi idols are made from clay nowadays hand painted by local artisans and then immersed at the end of festivities, with songs which have a melancholic tone. 

I remember making the badu or cow dung ball with our hands.

Many girls together took the responsibility for performing all the rituals of this festival. Asha Masi prepared a particular proshad at home, which was made of moori or puffed rice or chire or flattened rice. 

The choudal or Choural is something like similar to tazia made in MOharram., but smaller than that, it is made of jute sticks. Chou means four sides. Ural means flying. Choural means who can fly in all directions at the same time. The sun is also worshipped in this festival because without the presence of the sun no germination could take place. Makar is just another name of the sun. 

Choudal is used as the vehicle for the immersion of Tusu.

Kathinach is one traditional dance performed during immersion of Tusu, where no woman participates. Only male dancers can perform. They take two coloured sticks and move anti-clockwise. They sing and dance ‘Jhumur’ with the symphony of ‘Tamak’ (Drum), ’. Male dancers often dress in the guise of female dancers.

Assha masi and MOnju di were early for work that morning. I remember Monju di making Kulungi, and decorating it with alpona.  Alpona is Considered auspicious in every occasion in West Bengal. I will soon do an episode on the same. It is usually drawn during religious and social occasions on walls and floors with a semi-liquid paste made of soaked rice. 

Celebrated in memory and honouring the Goddess Tusu, a unique and largely rural festival Tusu Parab is celebrated in the month of January.

Tusu is worshipped by virgin girls. Married women do not worship Tusu’. For me, the festival is mainly about singing the collection of songs sung by unmarried girls during the nights, throughout the month of Poush. I also joined Manju di on weekend evenings to participate. Every day the girls started praising the goddess by singing Tusu songs . . . While performing, some of the girls sang devotional verses and some others dance in sync with the vocal melodies.

I tried browsing the internet to listen to Tusu songs. Tusu songs of our childhood were completely different from those of the present time. Tusu songs are still an important part of popular culture and new songs are being written that what i figured out. These songs include mythological stories, contemporary political issues, local issues, etc.  The story remains incomplete without mentioning the pithas asssociated to Makarsankranti. Now, Maa was working with the railways. She was a teacher at the new settlement primary school, Kharagpur. I remember besides her busy schedule raising me and ritually devoted life to Government service, she during this season spent her whole day unhurriedly forming uncountable patishaptas and natun gurer payesh. She taught me how to follow the nature culture wise with great food fiesta, but not to be strict custom wise.

What made these memories even denser were those delectable varieties of traditional pitha (rice and lentil dumplings), sweets prepared by a few neighbours and distributed to the neighbourhood. , a variety of peethas, both steamed and fried dumplings, were prepared. The gur peetha, also known as arsa in the area, are integral to Tusu Parab. These peethas mainly call for grounded rice flour and jaggery; at times, freshly grated coconut is added to the ingredients list. The first batch of pithe is made with the rice offered to the gods and the first is fed to the family cow and Then begins the feasting, starting with the ritualistic nabanna- which is a blending of uncooked harvest produce including rice, coconut and moong dal- and moving on to the main attraction, the pithe. Pithe and puli are prepared with rice powder, fresh date palm jaggery, coconut and milk.