Rural Durga Puja in UP was about Uri, surgical strike and DJ Pappu Bhaiya

JAUNPUR: Driving down from Varanasi to Jaunpur may be scary on other days but for Navratri. Passing trucks or cars were the only source of light that broke the darkness of largely canopied state highway. The past ten days had been different as a puja pandal had been set up by villagers at every three kilometer.
Heading towards Ladhharpur at around 10.30 pm, one could clearly see the pandal making the mind expect bhajans on going closer.The entire village, elders and children alike had gathered for the deity but instead of spirituality, a unique sense of celebration ruled the air. The woofers played Prem Ratan Dhan Payo's title track and three girls from the village were effortlessly dancing to the tune on a make-shift stage placed next to the divinity's idol.
Master of ceremony, DJ Pappu Bhaiya announced a cash prize of Rs 10 each to encourage the trio. Boys in the village were to give the next perfromance. A little boy cracked the joke on mosquitoes to fill the intervening period. Seeing TOI's car stop, the organisers came running with a helping of prasad - traditional panjiree, cut fruits and a gol peda.
A youth followed with aarti seeing which one is expected to put a token contribution for the committee behind the show. President Mahendra Patel welcomed the TOI guests and started a conversation. The introduction was interrupted by the boys performance. DJ Pappu Bhaiya played the peppy Brasil by Vengaboys.

A group of boys came from behind a curtain with empty beer bottles, the sil to refine the bhang mixture. And danced weirdly to Brasils. Few seconds later, bhojpuri bhajan assertively fused into Brasils soundtrack replaced the original lyrics. The only words a visitor could make out was Har Har Mahadev, which echoed periodically besides the original prelude. The boys earned several rounds of applause through their rustically choreographed steps.
Asked to comment about what they enjoyed, newly wed Rani said, "dhun achi hai." (the tune is good). Elderly Kamla Devi was hailing each time har har mahadev echoed. She had probably assumed the performance to be a new age bhajan. "aaj kal k bachchan ka bhajan hai... itna jaldi gawat hain ki kuch samajh nahi awat hai," she said. (Its new age bhajan. They sing so fast that one can't catch up with the words).
Village elderly Hari Shanker Master came in for an announcement. Thanking those who contributed for putting up the show. His speech also included a word on surgical strike. "Uri mein ghayal jawano ka badla lene ke liye hamari sena ne Pakistan pe surgical strike kia tha.... matlab hamla kia tha... yeh meri samajh se bahut acha hua hai... dushman ko jawab toh dena hi padta hai... devi maa ne bhi dushman ka sanhar kia tha," he said, earning a thunderous round of applause.
Asking everyone to listen further, he said, "shaheedon ki atma ki shanti ke liye ham prarthana karen aur devi maa unke parijanon ko dukh sehne ki himmat de." The brief silence followed the next presentation -- a geet by a woman.