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Rediff.com  » Business » Pranab the priest performs Puja!

Pranab the priest performs Puja!

Last updated on: September 28, 2009 

Image: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee performing Durga Puja at Miriti, his ancestral village near Kirnahar in Birbhum district, 250 km from Kolkata.
Photographs: Dipak Chakraborty Indrani Roy-Mitra in Miriti (West Bengal)

To his colleagues in the Congress party, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is known as a man of all seasons, a man of punctuality and precision.

We saw the finance minister in a new avatar, donning the priest's mantle at his ancestral home on Friday and Saturday.

Mukherjee worships Goddess Durga at Miriti, his ancestral village near Kirnahar in Birbhum district, about 250 km from Kolkata.

Mukherjee's grandfather late Jangaleswar Mukherjee started the puja, which is almost 100 years old, said Goutam Roy, who has been supervising the arrangements.

Mukherjee's father Kamadakinkar continued the tradition and now the onus is on the finance minister to keep the practice alive.

Mukherjee chanted chondi mantras on Saptami and performed the Puja on Maha-ashtami, the second day of the four-day festival.

Mukherjee has Z category security. We have made the required arrangements."

We present to you a few glimpses. Don't miss it!

Pranab the priest performs Puja!


Pranab the priest performs Puja!

Image: Pranab all set to do the Chondipath.
Photographs: Dipak Chakraborty
.

Pranab the priest performs Puja!

Image: Pranab Mukherjee (extreme right corner) perfroming puja.
Photographs: Dipak Chakraborty
 

Pranab the priest performs Puja!

Image: Pranab Mukherjee at the Puja pandal with another priest.
Photographs: Dipak Chakraborty
 

Pranab the priest performs Puja!

Image: The Goddess Durga idol at Pranab Mukherjee's ancestral home.
Photographs: Dipak Chakraborty
 

Pranab the priest performs Puja!

Image: Dhakis, or traditional drummers, at Pranab Mukherjee's ancestral home.
Photographs: Dipak Chakraborty
 

Pranab the priest performs Puja!

Image: Security was tight at Pranab Mukherjee's ancestral home in Miriti, West Bengal.
Photographs: Dipak Chakraborty
 

Pranab the priest performs Puja!

Image: Pranab Mukherjee clad in a dhoti and uttoriyo for the puja.
Photographs: Dipak Chakraborty