Durga Puja is an important Hindu festival that is celebrated to mark the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. This festival is celebrated all over India with great enthusiasm and fervor, especially in the States of West Bengal, North Bengal and Assam.
About Goddess Durga
Goddess Durga is a form of Adi-Shakti and is the daughter of Himalaya and Menka. She is considered to be the most powerful of all the forms. Being a form of Adi-Shakti, she is married to Lord Shiva and has been given power by the Trinity, who are the creator, destroyer and conserver of the Universe. She is considered as the mother of the universe and believed to be the power behind the work of creation, preservation, and destruction of the world. Since time immemorial she has been worshipped as the supreme power of and finds mention in many scriptures - Yajur Veda, Vajasaneyi Samhita and Taittareya Brahman. It is believed by her followers that goddess Durga protects her devotees from the evils and simultaneously removes their miseries. There are many incarnations of Durga namely Bhagvati, Bhavani, Ambika, Kali, Lalita, Gauri, Rajeswari, Kandalini, Java, etc. She is incarnated as the cohesive power of all divine beings, who offered her the essential physical attributes and weapons to kill the demon "Mahishasur". She mounts on Lions back, which is considered to be her vehicle. There are many accounts to be found in Hindu Mythology that very well describes the power of the Divine Goddess Durga.
Significance of Durga Puja
The festival of Durga Puja is a significant to Hindus and this puja is believed to be first started by Lord Ram, who performed the puja in the month of Asauj of the Hindu calendar to evoke power from the Goddess to kill the 10 headed demon King Ravana. This festival is significant as it marks the victory of good over evil. It is a 10 day festival, which starts with Mahalaya, however, the main festival starts with Sasti Puja and Maha Asthami and Navami Puja are the most significant ones among all the 10 days.
Celebration of Durga Puja
The festival of Durga Puja is celebrated with grandeur and zest all over the nation. The idol of Goddess Durga is worshipped. The craftsman starts making the idol of the goddess after the Vishwakarma Puja. The idol is displayed with her daughters Lakshmi and Saraswati and two sons, Kartik and Ganesh along with her husband Shiva. The goddess has ten hands and each of the hand has a weapon. She stands with one foot on her lion and the other on the back of the Asura. The main puja lasts for 3 days, the Saptami, Asthami and Navami. In many places, buffalos along with other animals like goat, etc are sacrificed to mark the killing of the demon Mahishasura, whose life was kept in the body of a buffalo and who was killed to overpower the demon. The Durga Puja is one of the most auspicious festivals for the Bengalis and Assamese but it is celebrated all over the World by the Hindus. During this festival, the environment is filled with happiness and festive mood. People wear new clothes on all the three days to mark the auspiciousness of the festival. Arati is performed in the evening and people go out of their houses to the pandals to have a glimpse of the idols of the Goddess. On the 10th day, the idol of Durga is taken out with huge pomp and show and it is finally immersed in the rivers and seas and bids goodbye to the Goddess.
About Goddess Durga
Goddess Durga is a form of Adi-Shakti and is the daughter of Himalaya and Menka. She is considered to be the most powerful of all the forms. Being a form of Adi-Shakti, she is married to Lord Shiva and has been given power by the Trinity, who are the creator, destroyer and conserver of the Universe. She is considered as the mother of the universe and believed to be the power behind the work of creation, preservation, and destruction of the world. Since time immemorial she has been worshipped as the supreme power of and finds mention in many scriptures - Yajur Veda, Vajasaneyi Samhita and Taittareya Brahman. It is believed by her followers that goddess Durga protects her devotees from the evils and simultaneously removes their miseries. There are many incarnations of Durga namely Bhagvati, Bhavani, Ambika, Kali, Lalita, Gauri, Rajeswari, Kandalini, Java, etc. She is incarnated as the cohesive power of all divine beings, who offered her the essential physical attributes and weapons to kill the demon "Mahishasur". She mounts on Lions back, which is considered to be her vehicle. There are many accounts to be found in Hindu Mythology that very well describes the power of the Divine Goddess Durga.
Significance of Durga Puja
The festival of Durga Puja is a significant to Hindus and this puja is believed to be first started by Lord Ram, who performed the puja in the month of Asauj of the Hindu calendar to evoke power from the Goddess to kill the 10 headed demon King Ravana. This festival is significant as it marks the victory of good over evil. It is a 10 day festival, which starts with Mahalaya, however, the main festival starts with Sasti Puja and Maha Asthami and Navami Puja are the most significant ones among all the 10 days.
Celebration of Durga Puja
The festival of Durga Puja is celebrated with grandeur and zest all over the nation. The idol of Goddess Durga is worshipped. The craftsman starts making the idol of the goddess after the Vishwakarma Puja. The idol is displayed with her daughters Lakshmi and Saraswati and two sons, Kartik and Ganesh along with her husband Shiva. The goddess has ten hands and each of the hand has a weapon. She stands with one foot on her lion and the other on the back of the Asura. The main puja lasts for 3 days, the Saptami, Asthami and Navami. In many places, buffalos along with other animals like goat, etc are sacrificed to mark the killing of the demon Mahishasura, whose life was kept in the body of a buffalo and who was killed to overpower the demon. The Durga Puja is one of the most auspicious festivals for the Bengalis and Assamese but it is celebrated all over the World by the Hindus. During this festival, the environment is filled with happiness and festive mood. People wear new clothes on all the three days to mark the auspiciousness of the festival. Arati is performed in the evening and people go out of their houses to the pandals to have a glimpse of the idols of the Goddess. On the 10th day, the idol of Durga is taken out with huge pomp and show and it is finally immersed in the rivers and seas and bids goodbye to the Goddess.