Durga Puja Festival in India 2019
Durga Puja is a Hindu celebration of the Mother Goddess and the victory of the venerated warrior Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. The festival pays tribute to the powerful feminine force (shakti) in the Universe.
Where is the Festival Celebrated?
Durga Puja is celebrated in West Bengal, particularly in the city of Kolkata. It is the biggest and most important occasion of the year there.
When is Durga Puja?
The dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar. Durga Puja is celebrated during the last five days of Navaratri and Dussehra. In 2019, Durga Puja takes place from October 4 to 7, followed by the great immersion of Durga idols on October 8.
Bengali communities in other parts of India also celebrate Durga Puja. Important Durga Puja festivities are celebrated both in Mumbai and in Delhi.
In Delhi, head to Chittaranjan Park (Delhi's mini Calcutta), Minto Road and also the oldest traditional Durga Puja in the city on Alipur Road at Kashmere Gate. In Chittaranjan Park, the must-see pandales are Kali Bari (Kali Mandir), B Block and the one near Market 2.
In Mumbai, the Bengal Club has a large traditional Durga Puja in Shivaji Park in Dadar, which has been held there since the mid-1950s. Durga Puja, glamorous and modern, happens in the
Lokhandwala garden in Andheri West. Many famous guests attend. For a great Bollywood show, don't miss the North Bombay Durga Puja. In addition, there are two Durga Bids in Powai. The Bengal Welfare Association has a traditional one, while the Spandan Foundation highlights social problems. The Ramakrishna Mission in Khar carries out an interesting Kumari Puja, where a young woman dresses and worships as Goddess Durga, in Asthami.
Durga Puja is popular in Assam and Tripura (in northeastern India), and also in Odisha. Head to Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack in Odisha to see Durga idols decorated with intricate silver and gold filigree works, which is a local specialty. It is absolutely spectacular and worth leaving the established route!
What Rituals are Performed?
About a week before the festival begins, on the occasion of Mahalaya, the Goddess is invited to come to earth. The eyes focus on the idols of the Goddess on this day, in an auspicious ritual called Chokkhu Daan. In 2019, this will take place on September 28.
After installing the idols of Goddess Durga, a ritual is performed to invoke her sacred presence in Saptami. This ritual is called Pran Pratisthan. It is a small banana plant called Kola Bou (banana bride), which bathes in a nearby river, dresses in a sari and is used to transport the Goddess's energy. In 2019, this will take place on October 5.
Prayers are offered to the Goddess every day during the festival, and she is worshiped in her various forms. In Ashtami, Goddess Durga is worshiped in the form of a virgin girl in a ritual called Kumari Puja. The word Kumari is derived from the Sanskrit Kaumarya, which means "virgin." Girls are worshiped as manifestations of the feminine divine energy, with the aim of developing the purity and divinity of women in society. It is believed that the divinity of Goddess Durga descends to the girl after the bid.
In 2019, the Kumari Puja will take place on October 6.
After the aarti night ritual in Ashami, it is customary for Dhunuchi devotional dance to be performed in front of the Goddess to please her. This is done, at the rhythm of the drums, holding a clay pot full of coconut shell and camphor.
The worship is concluded in Navami with a maha aarti (great fire ritual), which marks the end of important rituals and prayers. In 2019, this will take place on October 7.
On the last day, Durga returns to her husband's abode and the statutes are taken by immersion. Married women offer red vermilion powder to the Goddess and anoint herself with him (this dust denotes the state of marriage and, therefore, the fertility and procreation of children).
Belur Math in Kolkata has an extensive ritual program for Durga Puja, including a Kumari Puja. The Kumari Puja ritual was initiated by Swami Vivekananda in Belur Math in 1901 to ensure that women were respected.
What to See
Durga Puja is celebrated in a similar way to the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The festival begins with huge and elaborately elaborated statues of Goddess Durga that are installed in beautifully decorated homes and podiums throughout the city. At the end of the festival, the statues parade through the streets, accompanied by music and dance, and then submerge themselves in the water.
What to Expect During Durga Puja
The Durga Puja festival is an extremely social and theatrical event. Drama, dance and cultural shows are widely performed. Food is a big part of the festival, and street stalls flourish throughout Calcutta. At night, the streets of Kolkata are filled with people who come to admire the statues of Goddess Durga, eat and celebrate.