Durga Pooja

Durga Pooja or Navratri is a Hindu festival celebration of the Mother Goddess and the victory of the warrior Goddess Durga over the demon Mahisasura. The festival represents female power as ‘Shakti’ in the Universe. It is a festival of Good over Evil. Durga Pooja is one of the greatest festivals of India.

Durga pooja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava. It is particularly popular and traditionally celebrated in the Indian states of Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tripura, the country of Bangladesh, the disapora from this region, and in the Mithilanchal regions of Bihar and Nepal. In addition to being a festival for the Hindus, it is also time for a reunion of family and friends, and a ceremony of cultural values and customs.

As per as Hindu scriptures, the festival marks the victory of goddess Durga in her battle against the shape-shifting asura, Mahishasura. Thus, the festival epitomizes
the victory of good over evil, through it is also in part a harvest festival celebrating the Goddess as the motherly power behind all of life and creation. Durga Pooja coincides with Navaratri and Dussehra celebration observed by other traditions of Hinduism, in which the Ram lila dance-drama is enacted, celebrating the victory of Rama against Ravana, and effigies of Ravana are burnt.

The primary goddess reversed during Durga pooja is Durga but celebration also include other major deities of Hinduism such as Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya. In Bengali and Odia traditions, these deities are considered to be Durga's children and Durga Pooja is believed to commemorate Durga's visit to her natal home with her beloved children. Which is start 
While the ceremonies bring observance of fast and devotion for ten days, the last four days of the festival namely Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, and Vijaya-Dashami are celebrated with much sparkle and magnificence in India, especially in Bengal and overseas.

The Durga Pooja celebrations differ based on the place, customs, and beliefs. Things differ to the extent that somewhere the festival is on for five days, somewhere it is for seven and somewhere it is for complete ten days. Joviality begins with ‘Shashti’ – sixth day and ends on the ‘VijayaDashmi’ – the tenth day.

Goddess Durga was the daughter of Himalaya and Menka. She later became Sati to get married to Lord Shiva. It is believed that the festival of Durga pooja started since the time Lord Rama worshipped the goddess to get a grant of powers from her to kill Ravana.

Some communities, especially in Bengal the festival is celebrated by decorating a ‘pandal’ in the close regions. Some people even worship the goddess at home by making all the arrangements. On the last day, they also go for immersing the statue of the goddess into the holy river the Ganges.

We celebrate Durga Pooja to honor the victory of good over evil or light over darkness. Some believe another story behind this festival is that on this day the goddess Durga defeated the demon Mahisasura. She was called upon by the all three Lords – Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu to eradicate the demon and save the world from his cruelty. The battle went on for ten days and finally, on the tenth day, Goddess Durga eliminated the demon. We celebrate the tenth day as Dussehra or Vijayadashami.

Rituals Performed During Durga Pooja
The festivities begin from the time of Mahalaya, where the devotees request Goddess Durga to come to the earth. On this day, they make the eyes on the statue of the Goddess during an auspicious ceremony named Chokkhu Daan. After establishing the idol of Goddess Durga in place, they perform rituals to raise her blessed presence into the idols on Saptami.

These rituals are called ‘Pran Pratisthan’. It consists of a small banana plant known a Kola Bou (banana bride), which is taken for a bath in a nearby river or lake, outfitted in a sari, and is used as a way for carrying the Goddess’s holy energy.

During the festival, the devotees offer prayers to the Goddess and worshiped her in several different forms. After the evening aarti ritual is done on the eighth day it is a tradition for the religious folk dance which is performed in front of the Goddess in order to gratify her. This dance is performed on the musical beats of drums while holding a clay pot filled with burning coconut covering and camphor.
Durga Pooja is an enormously communal and theatrical celebration. Delicious traditional food is also an enormous part of the festival. 
Durga Pooja is an enormously communal and theatrical celebration. Dance and cultural performances are an essential part of it. Delicious traditional food is also an enormous part of the festival. 

On the ninth day, the worship is completed with a Maha Aarti. It is symbolic of the ending of the major rituals and prayers. On the last day of the festival, Goddess Durga goes back to her husband’s dwelling and the goddess Durga’s statutes are taken for immersion in the river. The married women offer red vermillion powder to the Goddess and mark themselves with this powder.


 Durga Pooja is an enormously communal and theatrical celebration. 


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