Durga Puja Festival
26 Sep, 2009 - 28 Sep, 2009
This festival is held in Kolkata, West Bengal |
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The Durga puja, a national festival of the Hindus takes place in the month of Aswin or Kartik i.e. months of September and October according to the English calendar year. The spirit of excited festivity is omnipresent throughout Durga Puja throughout India, specifically west Bengal. The image of the ten headed, a beautiful but fierce goddess on her lion charger is worshipped with great gusto.
Legends
Durga is Shakti, the cosmic energy that animates all beings. 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.
Durga pooja is celebrated extensively in North India where beautiful idols of the Mother Goddess are worshipped in elaborate pandals for nine days, and on the tenth day, these are carried out in procession for visarjan (immersion) in a river or pond. The face of the goddess remains covered until the bodhon (unveiling) ritual is performed on Sasthi - the sixth day of the moon.
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. On Dashami (tenth day) the idol of Durga is immersed in water. The ten-armed goddess dazzles the devotees with her splendour and appearance of fiery valour during her short stay every year.
Durga Puja is celebrated on a mass scale with puja pandals (marquees) dotting nearly every nook and corner of West Bengal.
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Next Event Date:
| 26-Sep,2009 | - 28-Sep,2009 |
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