Khichdi, labra and payesh bring festive flavour to Jaipur pandals on Saptami | Jaipur News

Jaipur: Steaming khichdi, labra, sweet-and-sour chutney and payesh are serving up a taste of Bengali tradition at city’s Durga Puja pandals, where nearly 1,000 cooks, known as thakurs, are preparing bhog for thousands of devotees amid an extended Saptami celebration.

With Saptami falling across two days this year, several puja committees have extended bhog distribution. “Normally, we offer bhog from Saptami till Navami. Since we have two days for Saptami this year, almost all puja committees will serve it for four days,” said Subrata Dutta, secretary of Durga Shakti Association near Kanta Chouraha in Jhotwara.

At Durga Bari, city’s oldest puja committee, around 5,000 people gather daily for the community meal. The traditional menu features khichdi, labra (mixed vegetable curry), sweet-and-sour chutney and payesh (rice pudding). Some committees also serve luchi with aloor dum or dal.

The cooking follows distinct ritual practices. While hired cooks prepare community bhog, the main bhog is prepared separately by Brahmin members of the community. The two are mixed after the puja and distributed among devotees, said organiser Kalyan Mukherjee.

Saptami began with the Nabapatrika ritual, in which nine plants are bathed, draped in a sari and worshipped. As the day progressed, pandals drew families for prayers, dhak performances and aarti.Adding an artistic dimension to the celebrations, Anandoprabha Puja Committee at VEDA Complex on Bhawani Singh Marg is hosting a painting exhibition featuring artists from Jaipur and Kolkata, with diverse interpretations of Ma Durga.Food stalls serving regional delicacies and handicraft counters are also attracting visitors, turning the pandals into cultural meeting points. For devotees, the shared bhog remains a cherished expression of faith, culinary tradition and community bonding.