Durga Puja

You must have seen the Durga Puja celebrations last month. Durga Puja - the ceremonial worship of the mother goddess, is one of the most important festivals of India. Apart from being a religious festival for the Hindus, it is also an occasion for reunion and a celebration of traditional culture and customs.

It is believed that Durga emerged from the collective energies of all of the gods, including Bramha, Vishnu and Shiva, to kill the demon Mahishasura who could not be defeated by any god or man. 

Durga is worshipped with extreme enthusiasm during the annual Navratri festival, which marks the beginning of autumn (usually in September or October).  Navratri means "nine nights" in Sanskrit, and on each day of the festival, nine different forms of Shakti or Mother Durga are worshipped.  In West Bengal, this festival occurs primarily on days six through ten of Navratri.  On the tenth day, Durga's victory over evil is celebrated as Vijayadashami or Dussehra. In North India, Dussehra is also celebrated as Rama's victory over the demon Ravana as described in the Ramayana. Durga Puja is also considered the annual visit of Durga and her children to her ancestral home.

The history of Durga Puja goes back to the middle ages, but it did not become popular until the 17th and 18th centuries.  Soon, it gained popularity amongst the masses and was celebrated with pomp. Community or Baroyari ("twelve friends") pujas began to be organized by small groups of people who were excluded from the elite family pujas due to social status.  By the early 20th century, these festivities had evolved into Sarbojanin ("involving all") pujas, in which people from all castes, creeds and religions could participate. Similar to the Ganeshotsav in Maharashtra, these pujas also helped to create a feeling of unity during the struggle for independence.  Over the years, both the idols and the pandals have gotten more and more elaborate with people strongly believing that Ma Durga will arrive and destroy all evil and fill our lives with joy and peace. Let us welcome Ma Durga this Dussehra that falls on …. October.