Durga Puja - A festival of Homecoming - Sayanspeaks

The awakening of Durga is celebrated as present day durga puja the orginal known as Basanti Puja which is usually in the month of Spring of the year.

History of Durga Puja

Durga Puja celebration in Bengal

Durga Puja is celebrated every year in the Hindu month of Ashwin (September-October). Akal Bodhan performed by Sri Ramchandra to demolish Ravana. The awakening of Durga is celebrated as present day durga puja the orginal known as Basanti Puja which is usually in the month of Spring of the year.

The first grand worship of Goddess Durga in dates back in 1500s. Landlords or zamindar of Dinajpur and Malda initiated the first Durga Puja in Bengal. According to another source, Raja Kangshanarayan of Taherpur or Bhabananda Mazumdar of Nadiya organized the first Sharadiya or Autumn Durga Puja in Bengal in 1606.

Baro-Wari Puja : The origin of the community puja can be credited to the twelve friends of Guptipara in Hoogly, West Bengal, who collaborated and collected contributions from local residents to conduct the first community puja called the ‘baro-yaari’ puja or the ‘twelve-pal’ puja in 1790. The baro-yaari puja was brought to Kolkata in 1832 by Raja Harinath of Cossimbazar, who performed the Durga Puja at his ancestral home in Murshidabad from 1824 to 1831.

Sarba-Janin Durga Puja : “The baro-wari” puja gave way to the sarbajanin or community puja in 1910, when the Sanatan Dharmotsahini Sabha organized the first truly community puja in Baghbazar in Kolkata with full participation. The institution of the community Durga Puja in the 18th and the 19th century Bengal contributed rich cultural heritage in Bengal.

Hindu mythology tells the fierce battle of Durga with Mahishasura, a demon who earned the favour of Lord Shiva after long and hard penance. Lord Shiva, pleased with the devotion of the demon, blessed him that no man or deity would be able to kill him. Mahishasura started his reign of terror over the Universe and people were killed mercilessly. He even attacked the abode of the gods. The war between gods and demons lasted a hundred years, in which Mahishasura was the leader of the Asuras or demons and Indra was the chief of the gods. In this contest the army of the gods was defeated by the more powerful demons. When Mahishasura conquered the gods, he became their leader.

Formation of Durga : She is basically evolved from the the power and energy of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. All other Super Powers gave their best in the formation of Devi who could recue them from all the evil . The power of Durga continues beyond Mahishasura, through the tale of goddess Kaushiki, another form of goddess Durga. After Mahishasura, two more demon brothers, Shumbha and Nishumbha started trouble in the heaven. The gods prayed to Mahamaya – the mother Goddess – to help them. At that moment, Goddess Parvati – wife of Lord Shiva – heard about the demons, a beautiful woman emerged from Parvati’s body. She was named Kaushiki. Upon the emergence of Kaushiki, Parvati’s body turned black and she then became known as Kalika. Kaushiki was seen by Chanda and Munda, the two trusted assistants of Shumbha and Nishumbha. Shumbha sent Dhumralochana to capture the goddess. Shumbha sent Chanda and Munda to capture the Devi. On seeing Chanda and Munda coming, From the Devi Kaushiki’s eyebrows emerged a ferocious looking goddess with a sword and a noose in her hands. She wore a tiger skin around her body. Her big eyes were red and from her tongue saliva dribbled. She was goddess Kali. She killed Chanda and Munda and dragged their bodies to Kaushiki. This gave Kali the name of Chamunda.

Among the asuras there was one named Raktabija. The replication of several demon from one drop of blood. Devi Kalika swallowed up Raktabeeja and the asuras which emerged from his blood. Nishumbha was killed by Kaushiki. Durga is also known as Mahamaya.

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Durga Puja 2024

Mahalaya

“………Akaashbaani Kolkata aaj Mahalaya……..Shuru hochche bisesh provatee odhibeshan… Mahishasura mardini……..” – For nearly six decades, the baritone voice of the radio announcer made almost all the Bengalis wake up at the pre dawn hour on the day of Mahalaya to join with late Shree Birendra Krishna Bhadra to the unique celebration of sending invitation to the mother goddess Devi Durga…… “Jaago tumi Jaago…..” Mahalaya is the day of inviting Devi Durga to save from all the demons of bad patches in this mortal world……as well as to get the blessing for the best in life in all aspects – “…… Rupan Dehi Jayon Dehi Jasho Dehi……” Mahalaya flags off the biggest festival of Bengal, DurgaPuja, the festival for homecoming. It is Amabashya ( No-Moon day) of the month of Ashwin of Bengali calendar. The fortnight prior to this day is called PitreePaksha. The word Pitree means father or ancestor and Paksha means fortnight. Religiously, This is the time period of every year when Bengalis pay homage to their passed away ancestors. And the process of paying homage is called Tarpan. Though Tarpan can be performed throughout this fortnight, most of the people choose to perform it especially on the day of Mahalaya . Tarpan is performed by standing in the waist deep water of the holy river Ganges and offering the holy water to the passed away ancestors while chanting the Veda Mantras. According to Saam Veda, only Brahmins can perform Tarpan. But Jajur Veda empowers other casts also to perform Tarpan with a few difference. Apart from the religious point of view, it is a nice ritual for recapitulating the loving memories of the passed away beloveds, at the starting of the festive fortnight. The fortnight starting from the Mahalaya is called Devi Paksha where Devi indicates to Devi Durga.

NaboPatrika and the forms of Devi Durga

It says “Behind every successful man there is a woman” – nothing new for Hindu Civilisation which has a eternal flavour of worshipping women power – Mother Goddesses.

In our life, we can see women in different forms. Sometimes she is a naughty daughter, sometime a caring mother, a inspiring lover – a few also witnesses her enormous power to save her beloveds from all the evils. Thus, with all these dimensions, she becomes indispensable part of our life.

Most likely, the devotees considers the eternal Mother Goddess in different forms relating to the situations of life. Somewhere Mother goddess is the source of power, sometime she gives and looks after the wealth. For the knowledge, devotees think of another form. And all these sums up to Nine forms of Mother Goddess according to the authentic documentation for worshipping – Brihonnondikeshwar Puran, Devi Puran & Kalika Puran.

The NaboPatrika symbolizes these nine forms of Devi Durga and worshipped along with, from MahaSaptami. Colloquially, the NaboPatrika is termed as KalaBou. It is composed of nine different saplings and bound with the creeper of Shet Aparajita, red string and Alta (a red colored liquid used to decorate feet). Finally, it is covered with a red bordered white saree and placed on the same platform where the idol of Devi Durga is worshipped.
Each of the nine saplings symbolizes one form of Devi Durga :

1). Ramva symbolizes Devi Bromhanee.

2). Kalo Kochu is for the form of Devi Kalika.

3). Haridra represents Devi Durga.

4). Jayanti symbolizes Devi Kartikee according to Kalika Puran and Brihonnondikeshwar Puran. As per Devi Puran, it is the form of Devi Koumaree.

5). Billo represents Devi Shiva.

6). Darrim is for the form of Devi Raktodontika.

7). Ashok represents Devi Shokrohita.

8). Maan Kochu is for Devi Chaamunda.

9). Dhanno symbolizes Devi Laxmi.

Apart from these, there are Sixty Four names of Mother Goddess. Those names are collectively termed as Choushotti Jogini..
Following are a few of 64 names according to Devi Puran. :