𝔻𝕌ℝ𝔾𝔸 ℙ𝕌𝕁𝔸 𝔸ℕ𝔻 𝕊𝕆𝕄𝔼 𝕊𝕎𝔸𝔻𝔼𝕊ℍ𝕀 𝔸𝔻𝕍𝔼ℝ𝕋𝕀𝕊𝔼𝕄𝔼ℕ𝕋𝕊

Durga appears to thousands of Bengalees as the visible representation of Eternal Shakti, victorious over all evil and all unrighteousness. However, in the beginning of 20th century when Curzon-ed Government partitioned Bengal(1905) , this image of Durga was sought to throw off the foreign yoke as well. It was then that She was looked as the embodiment of nation itself, rescuing her, and protecting her children. Goddess Durga soon became part of the Swadeshi project too. At that time, "the Bengali newspapers were full of advertisements for the Poojahs, nothing bideshi, everything swadeshi.", as mentioned by Historian Rachel Fell McDermott.

To justify our approbation for the Swadeshi campaigns during the Pujas, we are attaching some advertisements that appeared in some Bengali owned newspapers of that period.

Image 1

Image 1 shows an advertisement that appeared in 𝙰𝚖𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚊𝚣𝚊𝚛 𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚔𝚊 ( dt. 2nd November, 1905) potraying Grand Puja arrangements in phenomenal store for Swadeshi goods at Jorasanko, named Sen and Co.

Image 2

Image 2 potrays an advertisement that appeared in 𝙱𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚎( dt. 9th Sept, 1905)exhibiting Puja collections at another prominent Swadeshi tailors orders and suppliers shop, located at Upper Chitpur Road, Calcutta.

Image 3

And last one ( image 3) collected from 𝙱𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚎 too,dt. October 3,1909,though an incomplete one, with its heading only, sums up the mood of that time.

Nowadays the advertisements are only intended to increase sales of commodities. But we see that in those days it had an incipient sense of nationalism too.

Text and image sources :- The Indian Express and British Library.