
Durga
Puja festival is one of the most important festivals of Hindus in India. In
this festival Goddess Durga, the divine mother, the most merciful and
consort of Lord Shiva is worshipped with utmost divinity. The spirit of
excited festivity is omnipresent throughout India, specially in West Bengal.
In the nine days of Durga Pooja festival the image of the ten headed, a
beautiful but fierce goddess riding on her lion is worshipped with great
zest.
Goddess Durga, highly revered by the Hindus, is a fierce yet benign
multi-armed warrior-mother-protector goddess. Goddess Durga the form of
Shakti, the cosmic energy that animates all beings, is worshipped to bestow
all men with auspiciousness and prosperity. Durga Puja is also known as Akalbodhan,
Vijaya Dashami. Apart from being a festival, Durga Pooja has
become a social-cultural event that, like other festivals of India,
re-energizes the concept of the victory of good over evil.
When is Durga Pooja
Durga Pooja is celebrated twice a year, once in the month of Chaitra
(April-May) and then in Ashwin (September-October). On both occasions nine
different forms of Goddess Durga is worshipped threfore called Durga
Navratri (nine nights). According to the Hindu Calendar Durga Pooja festival
starts on the first day and ends on tenth day of bright half (Shukla Paksha)
of Ashwin month.
Celebrations of Durga Puja Festival

Durga
pooja is celebrated extensively all over India but West Bengal, Assam,
Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar are the states where beautiful idols of the Mother
Goddess are worshipped in elaborate pandals, durga temples for nine days,
and on the tenth day, these are carried out in procession for visarjan
(immersion) in a river or pond.
The festivities start with the first day called Mahalaya. It is also the
day of the beginning of the countdown to the Durga Puja. The face of the
goddess remains covered until the bodhon (unveiling) ritual is performed on
Sasthi - the sixth day of the moon. Fast is observed on this day by women
for the well being of their families.
The Goddess is worshipped as a kumari or young girl, and reveals herself in
her true form Mahasaptami (the seventh day of the moon). On Mahastami
(eighth day) and Mahanavami (ninth day) the celebrations reach a fever
pitch. New shining clothes, smiling faces, dancing devotees, chantings of
Mantras, spectacular display of lights and the rhythmic beat of dhak (drums)
adds excitement to the festive occasion. On Vijay Dashami (tenth day) the
idol of Durga is immersed in water after performing customary rituals. The
ten-armed goddess dazzles the devotees with her splendour and appearance of
fiery valour during her short stay every year.
Significance of Durga Pooja Festival
Durga is an incarnation of power the resides in every element of this
universe. The literary meaning of Durga is difficult to
approach. Being Durga, Goddess Durga is the embodiment of
intelligence, power, wealth, beauty and mercy that is creator, preserver and
destroyer of this universe.
During Durga Puja festival, nine different forms of Goddess Durga is
worshipped. The whole image of ten-headed and multi-armed mother goddess
riding on a Lion is shown destroying buffalo-demon Mahishasura. This image
signifies the victory of Good over Evil and also tells to invoke divinity by
controlling the senses to get diverted to bad habits.
Durga Pooja festival is a celebration of life and its traditional and
valuable culture.
Legends of Durga Puja
According to a Puranic legend attached to this day, demon Mahishasur
vanquished the gods and their king, Indra, who approached the Holy Trinity,
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. They in turn sought the help of the divine mother
Durga who, equipped with lethal weapons, riding a ferocious lion, in all her
awesome majesty, killed Mahishasur. This day, thus, also celebrates the
magnificence and omnipotence of Goddess Durga.
The festival of Durga Pooja has its link with Pandavas. According to the
great Indian epic the Mahabharat, the Pandavas had to spend 12 years
wandering in the forest and one year in camouflaged form. The Pandavas spent
their last year in the court of Virat. On the end of one year Pandavas
regained their arms from the shammi tree and declared their true
identification. It was the day of Vijay Dashmi. Since that day the exchange
of Shami leaves has become the symbol glory and triumph.