Durga Puja is one of the biggest and most popular festivals of South Asia such as India, Bangladesh and Nepal. It involves the ritual of worship of our Goddess Durga and the triumph of the Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. The festival honours the indomitable female force in the form of ‘Shakti’. This day gives everyone a reason to celebrate; it’s an occasion for rejuvenation and reunion and a celebration of our customary culture and customs. While most of the people keep fast for the entire nine to ten days, but the last four days called Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Dashami are celebrated with much jollity and splendour.
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Durga Puja is one of the most important festivals of India, celebrated throughout the country with utmost fervour and zeal. It is a momentous event for Bengalis and is therefore celebrated with great enthusiasm and gusto across the world, particularly in West Bengal in the capital city Kolkata. The occasion commemorates the profound power of Goddess Durga.
It is also called ‘Navratri’ in northern and other Hindi-speaking regions of India. The rituals are being followed for complete 10 days, but the last four days are very auspicious for everyone. Huge Pandaals (Decorated tents displaying huge idol of Goddess Durga conquering over the demon Mahishasur) win the hearts of all the visitors.
Durga Puja is the most auspicious festival of Bengalis. It has huge religious importance as well as it is considered one of the most recognizable social events of India. The celebration takes place for complete 10 days and every individual; especially Bengalis wait for this period quite eagerly for the entire year. Internationally, Durga Puja is recognized as a 10-day Carnival festival due to big, power-packed celebrations and unbounded merry-making. The occasion carries great importance for the people situated in Kolkata, West Bengal; the entire city gets illuminated with all sorts of designer and colourful lights.
Every individual would get their respective houses painted and renovated; people buy new clothes, prepare mouth-watering dishes and sweets and visit each other. From the 6th day onwards, magnificent Pandals are erected with attractive idols of Goddess Durga and other Hindu Gods and Goddesses along with the demon Mahishasur. Durga Puja reminds people of women’s power in the form of ‘Shakti’ and inspires people to respect women in every form in the modern society too.
The name ‘Durga Puja’ itself means worshipping Goddess Durga. According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Durga was requested to appear for destroying the powers of the demon Mahishasur, who otherwise had become the most powerful being on the planet. Since he had got the blessings that no male God can destroy his powers; mother Durga had to appear on earth and destroy him. This is why she is considered as a manifestation of ‘Shakti’, which means ‘Power’.
This occasion gives rise to magnificent decorations of the capital city of Kolkata, West Bengal as well as other neighbouring states where huge puja pandals get fixed and decorated with beautiful and modern lights, technologies and scented flowers, etc. The rituals last for around 10 days but the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th days are the major attraction as people get dressed in new attires and visit the pandals to pay respect and offer prayers to Goddess Durga and other gods and goddesses.
Fairs are organised in open grounds; children buy toys, sweets, etc. Themes are decided, dancing and singing competitions are held, kids perform on traditional and modern songs; the entire vision is just splendid. Though, it’s the major festival of Bengalis, but now-a-days Durga Puja is celebrated across India with same fervour and in fact it has become a Global Festival now.
Durga Puja is celebrated in every part of India in the month of September or October (dates may vary according to the Hindu calendar). The celebration lasts for 10 days and is also known as ‘Navratri’ in some regions of India such as Central India, Gujarat, etc. It’s the main festival of Bengalis and they consider it as a wonderful occasion to reunite with friends and family.
The capital city Kolkata, West Bengal becomes a conspicuous place as the air also gets filled with the grand celebration during this period of the year. Grand pooja pandals are designed in open fields decorated using unique props, shapes and theme. It is indeed a feast for the eyes to behold such glorious pandals of Durga Puja and beautifully carved idols of gods and goddesses.
For entire 10 days of celebration, a surge of fanfare can easily be felt which gets intense on the last five days of the occasion. From the sixth day of Durga Puja till the ninth day, entire city becomes hub of a well and traditionally dressed people with broad smile on their faces; feasting and merry making. The tenth day is called Dashmi; on this day the idols of goddess Durga and other gods and goddesses along with the idol of demon and the evil buffalo get immersed into water; the process is well known as ‘Visarjan’.
The entire phase of Durga Puja is remarked as a festival of love, power and celebration. It is celebrated in the honour of women power and to recognize that the good is always more powerful than the evil.
Durga Puja is basically celebrated in the honour of the powerful goddess Durga according to Hindu mythology. The celebration commemorates the victory of goddess Durga over the devil Mahishasura and the evil buffalo. The occasion reminds people of the female force or power called ‘Shakti’ in Sanskrit language. Durga Puja is one of the most popular and sought after occasion in east India, but now it has gained popularity across the nation and globally too.
The dates of Durga Puja celebration may vary every year as per the Hindu calendar. Though the occasion is celebrated for 10 continuous days; however the main celebration takes place in the last five days of Navratri. It is the main function of Bengalis and is celebrated with a great fervour in West Bengal, especially in Kolkata. Several local groups raise fund and organize grand celebrations everywhere. Dance and singing competitions are held, theme decorations are done using the best of props and in the end the best Pandals are given the prizes, etc.
Now-a-days, the occasion has gained great popularity in other parts of India too. The mystified pandals and eye-catching celebrations can be noticed in central, eastern, north-eastern part of India too. The occasion gives people the opportunity to dress beautifully, eat heartily and all the reasons to feel happy and elated. Friends and relatives meet each other and visit different pandals in groups. Thus, the occasion is celebrated in almost every region of India.
But it is also important that people remain alert and use caution when they take kids outside. The number of visitors at the pandals is increasing year after year due to increase in population and people’s interest towards the occasion. Sometimes, the crowd may become unmanageable and kids may get lost. Thus, it is very crucial that the people move in groups and never leave the kids alone; only then they will be able to enjoy the festival in real sense.
Introduction
The Sanskrit meaning of Durga is ‘someone who is difficult to reach’; Goddess Durga incarnated in the form of Shakti, which means power and she is worshiped for her cordial as well as frightening aspects. As mother of this Universe, she displays infinite power and is worshiped as a symbol of female dynamism.
About Durga Puja
Goddess Durga has nine different forms named as ‘Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Askandmata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri and Siddhi Dhatri’ and thus the occasion is also called ‘Navratri’ in some parts of India. Durga Puja is celebrated for 10 days; in the first nine days, these nine forms are celebrated and ‘Visarjan (Immersion)’ takes place on the 10th day. The entire 10 days are considered auspicious, but the last five days are celebrated with utmost zeal and enthusiasm. Durga Puja is an annual celebration that takes place in the month of ‘Ashwin’ according to Hindu ‘Panchaang (calendar)’. Maa Durga is worshiped as the destroyer of demons and is paid utmost respect and honor by Hindus and especially by Bengalis.
Celebration
Durga Puja is one of the most sought after occasion for Hindus. It is celebrated in different parts of India in different manners. But the main purpose of the celebration is to worship goddess Durga and appeal to her to bestow power and wealth upon the mankind. She is idolized for her prosperity, auspiciousness, wisdom, kindness and powers. Durga Puja also reminds us of the great relationship between the child and the mother. Like goddess Durga (protected mankind by killing the Demon Mahishasur); every mother protects her child under any circumstances or irrespective of the gravity of the situation.
Wielding Power
Maa Durga exists eternally; she always abides in her own kind nature and stays in the hearts and minds of her blissful devotees. In the form of Shakti, she creates, nurtures and destroys physical forms, while as Kundalini, she enlightens the lotuses of seven centres of awareness in the human body. Goddess Durga killed the demon Mahisasura, thereby protecting mankind. When evil forces create imbalance; Gods unite together and become one divine force known as Durga ‘Shakti’.
Introduction
Durga Puja is the most ritual occasion for Hindus, especially Bengalis. Though, the festival was celebrated majorly in Bengali dominated areas in earlier days; but now it is celebrated with great joy in almost every part of India and abroad too.
Preparations for Durga Puja
The preparations for Dura Puja commences around one month in advance. Employees (both government and private) in Kolkata are offered ‘Puja Bonus’ for renovating and decorating houses, purchasing new clothes, sweets and gifts, etc. Many Pre-pooja sales are also announced by shops everywhere as lots of people shop during the festive season. Durga Puja is indeed welcomed with great passion by every individual.
Idols and Pandals
In earlier days, Durga Puja was celebrated privately within the families but now it has turned as a community festival and is celebrated at Puja pandals. Huge Pandals get decorated with beautiful and colourful lights as well as awe-inspiring idols of Goddess Durga, Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Saraswati, Lord Kartik, Lord Ganesha and the evil Mahisasura get placed in the Pandals for worshipping and honouring by the visitors.
Magnificent Decorations of Durga Puja Pandal
Puja pandals are the major attraction of the festival; different types of competition are also held and the best Pandals get recognition and prizes by the local government and/or private organizations. Highly talented people utilize their expertise in developing Pandals by using bamboos, wood, paper, plastic, clothes and other interesting materials. Innovative ideas and great minds use mesmerizing art work; in fact many pandals are also formed on the theme of world famous monuments, etc.
Rituals of Durga Puja
Even though, several people keep fast for the entire nine days, but the major celebration days start from the sixth day called Maha Shashti. From the 7th day onwards, priest is invited to chant the shlokas and mantras of Puja and perform the ritual of aarti at the Puja Pandal. Various types of cultural activities such as dance and singing competitions are also held; games are organized during the last few days of the celebration. Different types of eatables are sold and people get completely engrossed into eating, drinking and merry-making.
Conclusion
The festival is the most awaited occasion for everyone as not only the pandals; but the entire city gets sparkled and decorated with colourful lights and fragrance of joy. Schools, colleges and offices remain closed during the last two days and even more in some parts of India, during Durga Puja. Thus, this is how the festival will continue to amuse people for years to come.
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