A well-known Hindu festival called Durga Puja is mostly observed with enthusiasm and devotion in West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Odisha, and Bihar. This celebration is thought to represent the triumph of good over evil because Goddess Durga defeated the monster Mahishasur. Nothing can match the excitement of Durga Puja celebrations, and it can be said with certainty. The city is awake these days, and everyone is decked up for the festivities with themed pandals, traditional puja fare, and mouthwatering treats. While Kolkata is the center of this majesty, this event is fervently celebrated nationwide. To celebrate Durga puja, you can also order online flowers as online flowers delivery in Mumbai and other cities is quite easy now, and you’ll get the delivery right on your doorsteps.
The event takes place in the Indian calendar month of Ashwin, which corresponds to September through October in the Gregorian calendar. The last five days of the Durga Puja festival are the most significant. Both private and public venues are used for the puja, with the latter containing a temporary stage with decorative structural elements (known as pandals). Also included in the celebration are scripture recitals, artistic performances, parties, gift-giving, visits with relatives, meals, and public processions. A major holiday in the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism is Durga Puja. UNESCO added Kolkata’s Durga Puja to its list of intangible cultural heritage.
What Is Durga Puja?
The five-day festival of Durga Puja honors the goddess Maa Durga and has its roots in the Indian subcontinent. It honors the goddess Durga’s victory over Mahishasur, the ruler of the demons. Hindu mythology states that the goddess visits her earthly home during this time to bestow blessings on her devotees. The Bengali people place great importance on Durga Puja. However, it is also regularly observe in other states with much fanfare, including Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Bihar, and Jharkhand. The celebrations of Navratri, which last nine days, and Durga Puja end on Vijaya Dashami, also known as Dussehra. Goddess Durga’s triumph over Mahishasura, the lord of the demons, is remembereon Vijay Dashami. On the other hand, Dasara or Dussehra celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana.
Significance of Durga Puja
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Brahma granted the demon Mahishasura the gift of invincibility, making him impregnable to both men and gods. When Mahishasura received the blessing, he attacked the gods and drove them from heaven. All the gods came together in adoration of Adi Shakti to defeat the demon king. The gods’ holy light from the puja came together to make Maa Durga. Mahishasura and Maa Durga engaged in a 10-day battle. The victory of good over evil is symbolize by the celebration of Vijaya Dashami on the tenth day when Goddess Durga slew the demon king. On the final day, devotees submerge the statue of Goddess Durga in the Ganges’ holy water. You may also order online flowers to celebrate Durga Puja because it’s now quite simple to get online flowers delivered in Indore and other locations with the help of different online flowers and gift delivery portals.
Ethnic Durga Puja Celebrations
There is a lot of regional variation in the religious customs and rituals associated with Durga puja, as with other Hindu celebrations. Hinduism is flexible and lets each choose their own set of rituals. Regionally specific ceremonies may be perform , with variations acknowledged between temples, pandals, and houses. The festival is most frequently associate with Bengali Hindus, a group renowned for its diversity and eclectic rituals. Theme-base Pandal pujas, family pujas (including boned pujas for once aristocratic families), and neighborhood or apartment community pujas may be distinguished in reality (known as barware pujas).
Puja rituals may also be Vedic, Puranic, Tantric, or a combination. Bengali Durga puja rituals frequently incorporate all three. Non-Bengali Durga puja rites combine supernatural elements with largely Vedic (saute) elements, creating a fusion of Tantric and Vedic traditions. With time, Durga puja appears to have evolved, becoming more elaborate, social, and creative. The celebration use to be a household puja, a custom that is still extensively followed today. Nevertheless, it had changed into a sarvajanin (public) festival in which localities combined their efforts to build pandals and illuminations and commemorate the event as a shared mega-show.
Bottom Lines
Large religious festivals, sacred rivers, and holy places can all be find in India. Religion permeates almost every part of life with ritualistic actions and symbolic meaning. Hinduism’s significance as India’s most prevalent religion transcends the home and into society as a whole. Every year, this huge and diverse nation celebrates hundreds of religious festivals and pilgrimages. And for foreign visitors, being able to observe or take part in one or more of them is a wonderful cultural or even spiritual experience. Navratri (Festival of Nine Nights) is one of India’s most vibrant and exuberant holidays. Durga Puja is one of the most well-known variations of this holiday observed in Eastern India. Particularly in the city of Kolkata (Calcutta). Bengalis worldwide embrace Goddess Durga during this time with open hearts and broad smiles.
