Everything you need to know about Durga Puja celebrations in 2016
Durga Puja, an important part of the Navratri festival, celebrates the Mother Goddess (Durga). She is the supreme deity for Hindus. Each god and goddess of the Hindu Pantheon had contributed a certain portion of their power to create Goddess Durga. This makes her the most powerful of all deities.
Third eye is being drawn on an idol of Goddess Durga
In Bengal, Durga Pooja is the main aspect of Navratri celebrations. Navaratri is the commemoration of Durga’s victory over the buffalo headed demon Mahishasur. Read about popular Navratri legends here.
When is Durga Puja?
There are no fixed dates. Hindu festival dates are based on the lunar calendar. In 2016, Navratri will be celebrated from October 2 to 11. Durga Puja is celebrated on the last five days of the festival (7 – 11).
Where is Durga Puja celebrated?
Durga Puja is mainly celebrated in West Bengal. It is also celebrated in cities like Mumbai and Delhi where a lot of Bengalis live. Durga Pooja is the biggest event in Bengal’s festival calendar. Navratri is celebrated in several other forms all over India with equal fervor.
Chittaranjan Park in Delhi is famous as mini Kolkata. So, it is the best place to celebrate Durga Pooja in Delhi. The Durga Pooja celebration on Alipur Road at Kashmere Gate is also famous.
An elaborated crafted idol of Goddess Durga
The Bengal Club in Mumbai holds a grand Durga Puja celebration at Shivaji Park in Dadar. It is a tradition that dates back to the 1950s. If you are looking to attend a hip Durga Puja celebration, the Lokhandwala Garden in Andheri West is the best place. Kumari Puja organized by Ramakrishna Mission in Khar, Mumbai is another event worth mentioning. Kumari Puja is all about worshipping young girls who haven’t reached the age of puberty. It is organized on Ashtami, the 8th day of Navratri. A young girl is dressed up as Goddess Durga and is worshiped.
Durga Puja is widely celebrated in Orissa, Assam and Tripura.
How is Durga Puja celebrated?
Durga Puja celebrations are more or less similar to Ganesh festival celebrations. Exquisitely carved huge idols of the Goddess are installed in homes and makeshift podiums (pandals) all over the state. A priest will perform Arti (fire worship) in the morning and evening. On the tenth day of the festival the idols are taken for immersion in a nearby water body. A large number of people participate in this procession accompanied by loud music and dance. The whole state gets immersed in the festive mood during this time.
What rituals are performed during Durga Puja?
Huge idol of Maa Durga installed at a panthal in Kolkata
A few days before the festival, devotees invite the Goddess to descend onto the earth. As part of this ritual, eyes are drawn on the Goddess. This auspicious ritual is called Chokkhu Daan.
Once the idols are installed, a Puja is performed to invoke the spirit of the Goddess into the idol. This is performed on the 7th day of the festival. This ritual called Pran Pratisthan is performed using a small banana plant. Kola Bou or banana bride is created by bathing the plant in a nearby river. They then wrap a sari around the plant. Devotees believe that this ritual will transfer Goddess’s energy into the plant. In 2016, this ritual will be performed on October 8.
Once the idols are installed in homes and panthals, prayers are offered to her every day. The goddess is worshipped in her various avatars. On Ashtami (the 8th day, October 9, 2016), a Kumari Puja is performed in which the Goddess is worshipped as a virgin girl. Young girls are worshipped as the manifestations of the female energy. This puja is said to transfer the divinity of the Goddess into the girls. A Maha Arti is performed on the 9th day (Navami, October 10, 2016). On the 10th day, the Goddess is believed to return to her husband and the idols are taken out for immersion. Married women offer red vermillion power to the Goddess and smear it on their forehead.
Belur Math in Kolkata is a great place to participate in the rituals and worship. They perform an elaborate Kumari Puja. This tradition was stated by Swami Vivekananda with the objective of elevating women’s status in the society.
What to Expect During Durga Puja
Durga Puja is a social event that sees the participation of a large number of people. Various cultural programs like dance, drama and performances are held. Street stalls come up all over Kolkata during this time. Streets get pretty busy during the evenings with devotees who have come to admire the idols.