India is a land of festivals and celebrations. It is a land of varied culture and beliefs. People of India celebrate each and every festival with immense pomp and show. Be it Idd, Diwali or Christmas, the whole country rejoices. This displays how rich in culture is India.
One of the most popular festivals of India is “Dussehra”. Dussehra is celebrated during the months of September and October. However, Navratri is celebrated before Dussehra. Navratri as the name suggests is a nine day long worship of the Indian Deity “Durga” who as per the Hindu Mythology had killed the Demon “Mahishasur” on the behest of the Gods.
Out of the nine days of Navaratri, 5 days are celebrated by the Bengali community across the world. These 5 days of the “Navratri” are specifically celebrated as the “Durga Pooja” festival. Bengalis wait anxiously the whole year for this festival.
On the 5th day of Navratri (first day of Durga Pooja) Durga Idols are placed in illuminated pandals (huge tents) and the worship starts. People of the Bengali community spend all their savings in celebrating these 5 days. All the Organizing Committees of the pandals, organize cultural programs, competitions for children, etc and make the celebrations more and more exciting. Meanwhile, the Deity is worshiped along with her four companion deities, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Ganesha and Kartik.
Shashti, the 6th day or tithi of Shuklapaksha the Deity Lakshmi is worshiped. Shashti is also the name of Skandamata or a form of Durga. She is worshiped usually by women who desire to become mothers.
Saptami, the 7th day is actually the commencing day of Durga Pooja. A Banana tree is decorated as a newly wed lady “Kaula Bou” (Banana bride) and it is worshiped on this day. On this day, nine different types of plants are worshiped. It is said that deity Durga has nine forms, hence these nine plants are together worshiped as her forms as one. Kalparombho is followed after the Mahasaptami Pooja.
Maha Ashtami, the 8th day is the most important and auspicious day of the Durga Pooja festival. The Goddess Gauri, a form of Goddess Durga is mainly worshiped on Ashtami. The Bagala or Narayani form of Durga is worshiped on this day. “Kumari Pooja” or worship of unmarried or girl child is performed on this day. Women usually wear white and fast to worship the Goddess on Ashtami. The Ashtami Pooja is followed by a ritual called “Sandhi Pooja” which is performed by lighting 108 oil lamps. This is a linking pooja between Ashtami and Maha Navami (ninth and final day). The Sanskrit word “Sandhi” depicts merger.
Maha Navami, the 9th day, The Goddess “Katyayani” is worshiped. This day is also the closing day of the Durga Pooja festival. On Dashami, the 10th day, The Idols are submerged in the running water or a river. But where there are no rivers, this ritual is performed in a tank or a lake.
To conclude, The Durga Pooja Festival is celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil. Though the festival is celebrated over the last five days of the Durga Pooja, the excitement starts a fortnight prior with an event called “Mahalaya”. This day marks the beginning of the Durga Pooja Festival. The sounds of the Bengali Drums “Dhaak” and the blossoming of the flower “Shewli” and its stupendous fragrance, coincide with the commencement of Durga Pooja.
Durga Pooja festival in 2009 will be celebrated between the 25th and the 29th of September. May this years worship be dedicated to bring peace and harmony to the world.
Linus Orakles
http://www.authorclub.info/
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