Barowari

Barowari (Bengali: বারোয়ারি) refers to the public organisation of a religious entity, mainly in West Bengal, India. Barowari has significance associated with the Durga Puja festival, in which the Hindu Goddess Durga is worshipped; symbolising the victory of good over evil. The word "Barowari" comes from the Sanskrit words "bar", which means public, and Persian word "wari", means For.

In regional language, Barowari is often followed by the word Puja (Barowari Puja) which is when friends and families gather and contribute to a spiritual event. In 1790, twelve brahmin friends in Guptipara, Hooghly decided to institute a community Puja, and when the neighbours started to become suspicious, they started a Barowari Puja in Bengal, which gained much popularity among the neighbours. Eventually, this occasion gained popularity across Bengal. Initially, Durga Puja was an occasion for the rich Babus of Kolkata. Later, individual initiatives declined as collective enterprises came to replace it.

In more recent times, the terminology 'barowari' is being replaced by 'sorbojanin' (meaning 'all-inclusive'). The Barowari festival is often organised to allow the participation of outsiders. The Barowari festival is held with funds raised from the public at large through donations or subscriptions.