India, Oct. 1 -- In a city where Durga Puja pandals compete with one another in grandeur, lights and themes, the Kashmere Gate Durga Puja Samiti stands apart. Now in its 114th year, Delhi's oldest public Durga Puja continues with the same rituals, the same style of idol, and even the same yellow invitation card design that has been in use for decades.
The Samiti, known as the Delhi Durga Puja Samiti, began in 1910 at Roshanpura Kali Mandir near Nai Sarak. It was started by probasi Bengalis (migrants living in Delhi) led by railway doctor Hemchandra Sen. Later, the festival found space at a dharamshala near Fatehpuri Mosque, thanks to the support of Lala Lachminarayan and his son Lala Girdhari Lal. Today, it is held at the lawns of the Beng...