Durgapuja in bengali esssay
Answers
Durga Puja is a Hindu celebration of the Mother Goddess and the victory of the revered warrior Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. The festival honors the powerful female force (shakti) in the Universe.
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 October 7, followed by the grand immersion of Durga idols on October 8.
Where is the Festival Celebrated?
Durga Puja is celebrated in West Bengal, particularly in the city of Kolkata. It's the biggest and most important occasion of the year there.
10 Famous Kolkata Durga Puja Pandals
Bengali communities in other locations across India celebrate Durga Puja as well. Substantial Durga Puja festivities take place in both Mumbai and Delhi.
In Delhi, head to Chittaranjan Park (Delhi's mini Kolkata), Minto Road, and also the city's oldest traditional Durga Puja on Alipur Road at Kashmere Gate. At Chittaranjan Park, the must-see pandals are Kali Bari (Kali Mandir), B Block, and the one near Market 2.
In Mumbai, the Bengal Club holds a grand traditional Durga Puja at Shivaji Park in Dadar, which has been taking place there since the mid-1950s. A glamorous and hip Durga Puja happens at Lokhandwala Garden in Andheri West. Many celebrity guests attend. For an all-out Bollywood extravaganza, don't miss the North Bombay Durga Puja. In addition, there are two Durga Pujas in Powai. The Bengal Welfare Association holds a traditional one, while the Spandan Foundation highlights social issues. The Ramakrishna Mission in Khar conducts an interesting Kumari Puja, where a young girl is dressed up and worshiped as Goddess Durga, on Asthami.
Durga Puja is popular in Assam and Tripura (in North East India), and Odisha as well. Head to Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack in Odisha to see Durga idols decorated with intricate silver and gold filigree work, which is a local specialty. It's absolutely spectacular and totally worth getting off the beaten track for!
Also in Odisha, the Durga Puja festival is celebrated as Gosani Jatra in Puri. Unique clay idols of a fiery-eyed Goddess Durga attacking buffalo demon Mahisasura are displayed and worshiped during the festival. This lesser-known celebration has been taking place since the 11th century. Some of the idols reach 20 feet tall.
Durga Puja.
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What to See
Durga Puja is celebrated in a similar manner to the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The festival starts with huge, elaborately crafted statues of Goddess Durga being installed in homes and beautifully decorated podiums all over the city. At the end of the festival, the idols are paraded through the streets, accompanied by music and dancing, and then immersed in the water.
8 Best Ways to Experience Kolkata's Durga Puja Festival
Photo Feature: 25 Pictures of Durga Puja in Kolkata
What Rituals Are Performed?
Around one week before the festival starts, on the occasion of Mahalaya, the Goddess is invited to come to the earth. The eyes are drawn 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 the idols of Goddess Durga have been installed, a ritual is performed to invoke her holy presence into them on Saptami. This ritual is called Pran Pratisthan. It involves a small banana plant called a Kola Bou (banana bride), which is bathed in a nearby river, dressed in a sari, and used to transport the Goddess's energy. In 2019, this will take place on October 5.