Durga Puja

1. Durga Puja is a festival dedicated to the worship of the most revered Hindu goddess Durga. MaaDurga or Shakti is worshipped rigorously over the last five days of Navratri, in the Ashwin month of the Hindu calendar. The deity is depicted as a warrior goddess with fierce look, ten arms, and each hand holding a different weapon symbolic of power and rage.As per legends, Maa Durga defeated the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura,vanquishing him with a s .....

About Goddess Durga Maa

2. Goddess Durga is worshiped especially in West Bengal. According to Hinduism, Goddess Durga is a symbol of female dynamism and Destroyer of demons. Who hold the infinite power of the universe and said to be as mother of the Universe.Goddess Durga, wife of Lord Shiva, is called by many other names, such as Parvati, Ambika and Kali. She has two sons, Ganesha and Karttikeya, and two daughters Lakshmi and Sarashawti. Goddess Durga depicted as having t .....

Durga Puja Traditions

3. Durga puja is the most awaited festival for the Hindus especially in West Bengal, which situated in the eastern province of India. The puja involves many intricate rituals. Also known as Durgotsav, this festival is dedicated to Goddess Durga, the most powerful of all Hindu Goddesses. The people of West Bengal share the belief that Maa Durga descends on earth on the sixth day of the puja and the people welcome her with great devotion and fanfare. .....

Appearance of Durga

4. Brahma, the leader of god and goddess, had given Mahishasura an inhuman force/demon the power not to be defeated by a man or a God. So, Mahishasura had unleashed a reign of terror on earth, heaven and the nether worlds, and he could not be defeated by any man or god, anywhere.Hearing this Vishnu, Shiva and all of the gods became very angry and beams of fierce light emerged from their bodies. The combined energy of all Gods was appeared as power o .....

Names

5. In Bengal, Durga Puja is also called Akalbodhan untimely awakening of Durga, Sharadiya Pujo autumnal worship, Sharodotsab Bengali festival of autumn, Maha Pujo grand puja, Maayer Pujo worship of the Mother or merely as Puja or Pujo. In East Bengal Bangladesh, Durga Puja used to be celebrated as Bhagabati Puja. It is also called Durga Puja in West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh.Puja is called Navaratri Puja in Gujarat, Utt .....

Origin of the autumnal ceremony Sharadiya

6. The actual worship of the Goddess Durga as stipulated by the Hindu scriptures falls in the month of Chaitra, which roughly overlaps with March or April and is called Basanti Durga Puja. This ceremony is not observed by many and is restricted to a handful in the state of West Bengal. The more popular form, which is also known as Sharadiya Autumnal Durga Puja, is celebrated later in the year with the dates falling either in September or October. Si .....

Customs

7. Durga puja mood starts off with the Mahishasuramardini a twohour radio programme that has been popular with the community since the 1950s. While earlier it used to be conducted live, later a recorded version began to be broadcast. Bengalis traditionally wake up at 4 in the morning on Mahalaya day to listen to the enchanting voice of the late Birendra Krishna Bhadra and the late Pankaj Kumar Mullick on All India Radio as they recite hymns from th .....

Durga puja mantra

8. Mantras, the integral part of Durga puja are accompanied by the rhythmic beatings of the dhak, smell of the incense sticks, dhoono, and flowers. These create the atmosphere of Durga puja. Chanting of mantras in Sanskrit is essential part of the Durga Puja festival. This is a part of Durga Pujas Pushpanjali Mantra Om Jayanti, Mangala, Kali, Bhadrakali, Kapalini. Durga, ShibaKshama, Dhatri, Swaha, Swadha Namahstu Te. Esha Sachandana Gandha Pushpa B .....

Durga Puja Fast

9. Durga Puja has been one of the most important Hindu festivals since time immemorial. Today, Durga Puja is celebrated on a grand scale by innumerable devotees all over the country. Mata Durga is worshipped on a grand scale and her idols are consecrated. The idol of Durga Maa is elaborately adorned with magnificent jewelery and embroidered saris. Prayers are offered and rituals are performed to honor the Goddess Durga. People also observe fast duri .....

Durga Puja Thali

10. Durga Puja or Durgotsava is one of the most prominent Hindu festivals and is celebrated in various parts of the country with great vigor and fanfare. Like all other festivals, Durga Puja has also been associated with mythological folklore. It is believed that the dwellers of the earth and heavens were tormented by a demon called Mahisasura. He was so powerful that even the Gods trembled in his presence. Out of earnest prayers, Maa Durga rose from .....

Nine Forms Of Durga

11. ShailputriThe first form of Durga, Shailputri, is the Daughter of the Himalaya Mountain. She is the quintessence of Mother Nature and is also referred to as Sati, the wife of Lord Shiva.BrahmachariniThe second form of Durga is the one who performs penance. Goddess Parvati is just another form of Brahmacharini. She is depicted as a Devi, holding a rosary in her right hand and a Kamandal on her left.ChandraghantaThe third form of Devi Durga, Chandr .....

Maa Durga Aarti

12. Jai ambe gauri, mayya jai shyama gauri Tumko nishdin dhyavat, hari brahma shivji Jai ambe gauriMaang sindoor virajat, tiko mrigmad ko Ujjwal se dou naina, chandra vadan niko Jai ambe gauriKanak samaan kalewar, raktaambar raaje Rakt pushp galmala, kanthan par saaje Jai ambe gauri Kehri vahan rajat, kharag khapar dhaari Sur nar muni jan sevat, tinke dukh haari Jai ambe gauri Kanan kundal shobhit, naasagre moti Kotik chandra divakar, sum rajat jyoti .....

Durga Chalisa

13. Chalisa is religious, archaic verse recited to please the gods and seek their blessings. The 40 verse prayer is poetry that esteems and compliments the deity. These verses are recited by priests in temples. The chanting of the Durga Chalisa is one that is practiced commonly by many in India. Some say that the recitation of these holy verses brings success and prosperity in the lives of the devotees. The Durga Chalisa is 40 verses long prayer and .....

Story Of Durga Puja

14. The Creation Of Goddess DurgaLord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma decided to create a powerful force to destroy the invincible Mahishasura, as they were unable to vanquish him themselves. The unified powers of all the Gods resulted in the creation of a fiery mass from which, a magnificent Goddess was born. With the light of Lord Shiva, her face was created, Lord Vishnu gave her his arms, and Lord Brahma provided her legs. She was blessed with .....

Durga Puja Cards

15. One of the most awaited festivals, Durga Puja is celebrated with immense zeal and enthusiasm. It is an ideal way to send an ecard to express your wishes and emotions on this auspicious day. Though, most people prefer ecards considering its flexibility, but they are not the only option. There are other ample options which include physical cards, photo greeting cards and personalized cards. Consider sending a card which has your signature or your p .....

Decorations

16. Making of Durga Puja PandalPandals are canopies for housing Durga idol during the Durga Puja festival. These large canopies are supported by sets of bamboo poles adorned with multicolored fabrics. The making of Pandal involves lot of work, using wooden planks, bamboo poles and fabrics. Sometimes pandals are built on themes inspired by ancient civilizations such as Incas or Egyptian civilization. Today, people choose many modern and contemporary t .....

What to Expect During Durga Puja

17. The Durga Puja festival is an extremely social and theatrical event. Drama, dance, and cultural performances are widely held. Food is a huge part of the festival, and street stalls blossom all over Kolkata. In the evenings, the streets of Kolkata fill with people, who come to admire the statues of Goddess Durga, eat, and celebrate. .....

Where is Durga Puja Celebrated

18. Durga Puja is celebrated in West Bengal, particularly in the city of Kolkata. Its the biggest and most important occasion of the year there. .....

When is Durga Puja Celebrated

19. Durga Puja is celebrated during the last five days of Navaratri and Dussehra. In 2014, Durga Puja takes place from September 29October 4. The Grand immersion of Durga idols will happen on October 4, 2014. The dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar. .....

Countdown begins for Durga Puja celebration in West Bengal

20. One of the most famous festivals of West Bengal cum India is Durga Puja. Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal is all set to enjoy the great carnival with all zeal, enthusiasm and fervor.The celebration continues for four days. Schools, colleges and government offices remain closed for these days. The puja shopping a must for the youngsters and the folks oust their feelings throughout the entire month before the actual celebration. The underconstru .....

Celebration of various type

21. The day of Durgas victory is celebrated as Vijayadashami Bengali, Dashain Nepali or Dussehra Hindi these words literally mean the Victory of Tenth day.In North India, the tenth day, signifying Ramas victory in his battle against the demon, is celebrated as gigantic straw effigies of Ravana are burnt in designated open spaces.In Mysore Karnataka, she is worshipped as Chamundeshwari, the patron goddess of the city during Dussehra.In Gujarat it is .....

India Celebrates Durga Puja

22. The fiveday Durga Puja begins Saturday, forming part of the Navratri, nine nights of Hindu fasting and worship.Durga Puja honors the female deity Durga, who is depicted as a warrior, symbolic of power and rage. Durga is revered across much of India, but perhaps most in West Bengal, the state governed by India most outspoken female politician, Mamata Banerjee.Devotees believe that Durga came to earth and defeated the shapeshifting demon Mahishasur .....

Transform of the community or Sarbajanin puja

23. Initially the Puja was organised by rich families since they had the money to organise the festival. During the late 19th and early 20th century, a burgeoning middle class, primarily in Calcutta, wished to observe the Puja. They created the community or Sarbojanin Pujas.These Pujas are organised by a committee which represents a locality or neighbourhood. They collect funds called chaanda through doortodoor subscriptions, lotteries, concerts etc. .....

Creation of the sculptures

24. The entire process of creation of the sculptures murti from the collection of clay to the ornamentation is a holy process, supervised by rites and other rituals. On the Hindu date of Akshaya Tritiya when the Ratha Yatra is held, clay for the sculptures is collected from the banks of a river, preferably the Ganges. There is ageold custom of collecting a handful of soil punya mati from the nishiddho pallis of Calcutta, literally forbidden territori .....

Environmental impact

25. Environmental hazards from the materials used to make and colour the sculptures pollute local water sources, as the sculptures are brought directly into the river at the end of festivities. Efforts are underway to introduce ecofriendly materials to the artisans who make the sculptures. West Bengal has been credited by its own environmental agency as being possibly the first Indian State to successfully curb the use of hazardous paints. However, b .....

Themebased pujas and pandals

26. Pandals and sculptures inspired by a particular theme have been the hallmark of many community or Sarbajanin Pujas in Kolkata since the 1990s. Puja committees decide on a particular theme, whose elements are incorporated into the pandal and the sculptures. Popular themes include ancient civilisations like the Egyptians or Incas. Contemporary subjects like the RMS Titanic and Harry Potter have also been the subject in some pandals.The design and d .....

Popular culture specific to the puja

27. Durga Puja is one of the most important events in the Bengali societys calendar. Many Bengali films, albums and books are released to coincide with the Puja. The West Bengal government gives a fortnight of holidays for the Pujas. This time is used in various ways. Many people travel in India or abroad. Gatherings of friends called Aadda in Bengali is common in many homes and restaurants. A lot of shopping is done, and retailers cash in on this op .....

Media attention

28. TV and radio channels telecast Puja celebrations. Many Bengali channels devote whole days to the Pujas. Bengali and Oriya weekly magazines bring out special issues for the Puja known as Pujabarshiki or Sharadiya Sankhya. These contain the works of many writers both established and upcoming and are thus much bigger than the regular issues. Some notable examples are Anandamela, Shuktara, Desh, Sarodiya Anandabazar Patrika, Sananda, Nabakallol, Bart .....

Durga Puja in West Bengal

29. The worship of Durga in the autumn Shrot is the years largest Hindu festival of Bengal. Durga Puja is also celebrated in Nepal and Bhutan according to local traditions and variations. Puja means worship, and Durgas Puja is celebrated from the sixth to tenth day of the waning moon in the month of Ashvin Ashshin, which is the sixth month in the Bengali calendar. Occasionally however, due to shifts in the lunar cycle relative to the solar months, it .....

Durga Puja in Kolkata

30. In Kolkata alone more than two thousand pandals are set up, all clamouring for the admiration and praise of the populace.The city is adorned with lights. People from all over the country visit the city at this time, and every night is one mad carnival where thousands of people go pandalhopping with their friends and family. Traffic comes to a standstill, and indeed, most people abandon their vehicles to travel by foot after a point. A special tas .....

Durga Puja in Siliguri

31. Hundreds of puja pandals are set up every year in the Siliguri Mahakuma area. The city is adorned with many colourful pandal, glorious Protima, colourful lighting and sounds. The puja in Saktigarh, DeshbandhuPara, Hakimpara, Rabindra Sangha, Rathkhola, Champashari, Central Colony N.R.I, SilpanchalBurdwan Road and Saktigarh Utjal Sangha, sorojini sangha[shivmandir] are famous and the oldest durga puja in this area.Silpanchal Durga Puja committee i .....

Durga Puja in Cooch Behar

32. One of the oldest Durga pujas of Bengal. It has been said that this puja is started in 1510, by the founder of Cooch dynasty Raja Biswa Singha on the same year of his accession to the throne with the help of his younger brother Sishya Singha.The gigantic sized Durga sculpture, popularly known as Borodebi The Great Goddess, made with clay comprises only Maa Durgas image with Mahishasura and JayaBijaya, her consorts excluding her childrens sculptur .....

Durga Puja in Badkulla Nadia

33. Badkulla is famous in Nadia district for smallscale weaving industry and large pandals during DurgaPuja.During the four days of DurgaPuja Badkulla becomes alive. Every year thousands of people gather here from the nearby places to see the huge pandals, beautiful light works, amazing idols.Once upon a time here Durgapuja was started after getting sound of Cannon from the Royal Palace of Krishnachandra of Krishnagar. Apart from the DurgaPuja, it al .....

In other parts of India

34. AssamIn Silchar more than 300 exhibits, known as pandals, decorated with lights, sculptures and other art forms are created. After Bihu, Durga Puja is the most popular festival of Assam. According to historian Late Benudhar Sarma, the present form of worship of Durga with earthen sculpture in Assam was started during the reign of Ahom King Susenghphaa or Pratap Singha.BiharDurga Puja is one of the major festivals in Bihar. Bhagvati Durga Puja and .....

Durga Puja in United Kingdom

35. Bengalis from state of West Bengal India migrated to the UK from early 1960s and contributed as doctors, engineers and skilled work force. They brought with them Ma Durga, and Durga Puja is celebrated all over UK with much gusto and enthusiasm. From north of UK, to South there are scores of Durga Puja, and these 4/5 days makes one feel part of West Bengal. The celebration includes not only the Bengalis but many other Hindus as well. During the sa .....

Durga Puja in China

36. In 2004, a group of Indians residing in China came together and organised Durga puja in Shanghai. Since then it has become an yearly affair and has got bigger with active participation from the Indian, expat and the Chinese community. The sculpture of Ma Durga has been brought in from Kumartuli. Every year purohit from India is flown in to perform the puja. Elaborate decoration are done at the venue to give a very distinct look of a pandal interi .....

Durga Puja in Middle East

37. In Muscat, Bongiyo Parishad Bengali Association of Muscat celebrates Durga Puja with Bhog distribution Astomi & Navami and Anjali in Shiva Temple. Vijaya sammilani cultural programs on the event of Vijaya Dashami/ Dussehra is also a part of this celebration. Hundreds of Bengalis and others are found to enjoy these days here. Traditional Dhak is not played here but these days, recorded beats of Dhak add a separate dimension to the beats of the dev .....

Durga Puja in Nepal

38. Dussehra in Nepal is called Dashain. As it is chiefly a Hindu nation, the pattern and dates of the festivals coincide with those of India. The King of Nepal plays a key role in the festivities, particularly during Saptami or the Seventh day of the pujas. Despite the overthrow of monarchy in Nepal, the Royal Family still has a significant cultural role in the nation. .....

Durga Puja in United States and Europe and Australia

39. In the United States the pujas are often hosted during weekends with few exceptions. The puja weekends are time for Bengal friends and family to gather together to spend the weekend savouring Bengali culture. Cultural programs are held there is food stalls selling ethnic clothes, jewellery, books, music DVDs etc. There is a general atmosphere of festivity.In Australia, the major Durga Puja festival were held in Sydney and Melbourne. They are also .....

Durga Puja in Indonesia

40. Although Durga Puja is not a major festival among the Hindus in Bali dan Tengger, the Sindhi and South Indian community have constructed many Maa Durga temples in Jakarta and Tangerang, where Durga Puja is a major celebration here. Sindhis end their Durga Puja on the Ashtmi Day, marked by Havan and Nyari Seva feeding food to young girls while South Indians continue till the 10th day. On these days garba and dandia events are also held which ends .....