Durga Puja: The Mega Celebration Begins
Durga Puja is so magnificently celebrated in Bengal that the day when people receive their yearly almanack, the first thing they look for is Durga Puja nirghanta (tithi and timings). Apart from Bengal, Durga Puja is massively celebrated in Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, and Tripura, where you can find huge pandals to attract the devotees and tourists who visit these states from every part of the world to experience this mega festive phenomenon.
People wait for this time of the year with much excitement and hope. This 5-day festival of Durga Puja is the time when devotees of Maa Durga celebrate her victory over the demon Mahisasura, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. The entire region bustles with fanfare and special events, organised for no less than 2 weeks. The celebration starts months before the actual days of the festival, and it includes shopping for new clothes, renovation of houses, colouring of houses and temples, purchase of personal assets, gold, making new beginnings, and much more. Thus, the entire atmosphere is euphoric.
The Significance of Durga Puja
The kaash phool, the shanknaad, the dhaak, the dhunichis, the ullus and the ghantas are symbolic to the Sharadiya celebration, not to mention the variety of dishes, sweets, and new clothes. Durga Puja Pandals are the main attraction of the celebration, inviting people from every part of the world to behold them in awe. Devotees believe Maa Durga slayed the demon Mahisasura, and since then her devotees have been celebrating the occasion as the victory of good over evil. And every year during this time, she descends on earth to bless all of us! However, Durga Puja is more than just about slaying Mahisasura. The festival is also about the worship of Devi Shakti, the feminine power of this universe. It is also the festival of feminity and motherly love that goes to any extent to protect her children from demonic forces. And this is the form to which her devotees bow down!
Durga Puja is a Blessings for One and All
Durga Puja is not just a festival but a lifeline for many people in Bengal and many states. The festival is a big occasion for the majority of people who save their entire years earning to spend during the festival. For those engaged in business, small or big, they also see this time as the most important time of the year as they get massive opportunities to make business and profits. Starting from a small business to big ones, all have some hope from this festival apart from a long wait to see their mother after a year. It is believed that Maa Durga is coming to remove all the obstacles and bring countless opportunities in life. People spend as much as they can to welcome their beloved mother.
The other school of thought is Maa Durga is the daughter of Bengal. So every devotee prepares in a way that their houses are full of everything to welcome their daughter to their home in the best possible way as per each one’s capacity. The scene is like a father making every possible arrangement so that his daughter does not feel uncomfortable during her 5-day stay when she is home.
Dharmik and Astrological Significance of Durga Puja
Maa Durga is the epitome of the feminine energy, which is the power behind all the life and creation in this universe. Also known as Adi Shakti, meaning the primal power that is the ultimate reality, referring to the supreme divine consciousness, she is also described as Parashakti and Mahadevi, the consort of Mahadev.
Bhagwan Rama, before starting his battle against Ravana, decided to worship Goddess Durga, though the time was much earlier than scheduled. So, Bhagwan Rama invoked Goddess Durga in the autumn (which was otherwise observed in the spring season). This is why the Sharadiya Durga Puja is also known as “Akal Bodhan,” meaning an untimely invoking of the goddess.
In the Hindu lunar calendar, Ashwin (September or October as per English Calendar) is the month of Durga Puja and Sharadiya Navratri, both dedicated to Maa Durga. The time is important in astrology because this is the time when the Sun moves through the planet Virgo (Kanya Rashi), which is ruled by Mercury (Budh) and is the planet of intelligence, communication, and knowledge.
According to Sanatan Hindu beliefs, the worship of Maa Durga is the worship of Adi Shakti, the primal energy that drives this universe! It has been in practice since the time unknown.
Learn about this year’s Durga Puja Nirghanta here!
