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4Th. October, 2008…..Satur day- Maha Panchami……Morning:10a.m, ‘chakhshu- daan’ and‘Baran’(welcome) to Goddess Durga.
Introduction: Normally we celebrate 'Sharadiya' Durga Puja during the months of September and October which is called 'Sharat Kaal"(Autumn Season),Though, In spring season also we celebtrate Durga Puja which is known as"Basanti Puja".Actually,Sharat kaal is climatically favourable for celebrating season of festivals.In Bengal,There is a saying,"Baro maasey tero Parvan".(13 celebrations in twelve months)So, in sharat ritu when the incessional rains are stopped and the sk becomes azure with pieaces of white cloudlets sailing on the blue sea of sky,when the newly budding paddy creates waves in the long vistas of fields,the kaash pool swing their white heads with easter wind,when the early morning 'sheuli flowers' emitting their sweet fragrances and drop on the down floor of the plants making a carpet of white flowers,the heartfelt sweetest sounds of dhaak(Village drums) announce about the arrival of daughter 'Uma'(nee Ma Durga) to her mother's home in 'martya bhumi'(The earth),when the'Bauls' (village folk singers) sing the song of 'agomoni-gaan' of Kanya Uma,the whole of Bengali-heart sharply
enchanted with a sense of nostalgia,whether in being in USA or UK or in Kolkata or in Delhi,be In Birbhum or in Dhaka! This is Sharat kaal-a season of nostalgia for a bengaliwho definitely feels for his home remaing out of home.Durga puja just knocks at the door just at such nostalgic moment.The Bengali-mind emerges out like a peacock in first rain.So,DurgaPuja has a deep impact on the, especially, Bengali Community all over the world.So,the autumn becomes - the season for Bengal's most popular festival, Durga Puja or the worship of Goddess Durga. 
Durga Puja is celebrated with customary pomp and fanfare twice a year - once in the month of March or April that is (basant) Basanti Puja and again in the month of September or October (ashwin-sharat kaal), during the moonlit fortnight and it is named 'Sharadiya Durga Puja'. On both the occasions, the puja is a nine-day affair with the last day coinciding with Ram Navmi and Dussehra respectively. The Mother Goddess is venerated in one form or the other all over India, though her popularity is at its peak with the Bengalis' sharadiya Durga Puja. Durga Puja is the most important annual festival in the life of 200 million Bengalis across the world. Devi Durga, popularly described as 'Ma Durga,' is an Icon of 'Shakti'(Strength) symbolizes,"Good which rules over Evil or negative spirit."Durga the very word comes from 'Durgama'(difficult). It was also impossible to defeat her. Naturally,as depicted in Hindu Mythology, the Asuras (Demons) like Chanda-Munda,Mahishasura(Bufellow headed Demon),Vritrasura.Madhukaitava with all their enormous might had failed to over power 'Durga' and were killed by her.So,She was named Durga.Durga has more108 names also referred in 'Shree Shree Chandi' and other Puranas
(Mythologies).She had played different role with different name and destroyed Ashuras(Demons/evils).Precisely,Devi Durga is an heavenly Shakti which defeats evils (asat or Ashubha shakti) with her Sat or shuva shakti.So, 'Dashami'day aso called as 'Vijaya'.On Vijaya day Devi had killed Mahisasura and became vijaya .Another interpretation for Vijaya-Dashami day is that this is the day when Shree Ram Chandra had killed Ravana(The Demon King)after performing Durga Puja and pronounced victory over Evil.Accordingly, we worship Devi Durga to win her blessings so that we can get rid off our difficulties. We offer(anjali) our devotion (Bhakti)chanting mantras to Devi: Sarbamangalya mangalye, shive sarbartho sadhike, smaranye trambake Gouri, narayani namohstute."Durga Puja 2009 --- INDIAN STANDARD TIME |
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| This year the goddess Durga arrives on an palanquin and departs on elephant . Goddess Durga's arrival on an palanquin signifies an outbreak of epidemic while her departure on elephant signifies good harvest. | ||
| 23rd September Wednesday (6th Aashin 1416) |
PANCHAMI | From previous day 8.20pm-That day 8.33pm |
| 24th September Thursday (7th Aashin 1416) |
SHASHTI Within 9:28am "Kalparambho" Durga Devi "BODHON" "Amantran" and "Adhibas' in the evening |
From previous day 8.34pm-That day 9.18pm |
| 25th September Friday (8th Aashin 1416) |
SAPTAMI "Nabo Patrika" within 9:28am Predawn bathing of "Kola Bow" |
From previous day 9.19pm-That day 10:31pm |
| 26th September Saturday (9th Aashin 1416) |
ASHTAMI SANDHI PUJA 11.45pm-00:33am SACRIFICE- 00:09am |
From previous day 10:32pm-Next day 00:09am |
| 27th September Sunday (10th Aashin 1416) |
NABAMI | From that day 00:10am-Next day 2:04am |
| 28th September Monday (11th Aashin 1416) |
DASHAMI (Immersion) within 9:28am |
From that day 2:05am-Next day 4.08am |
During their stay in forest as part of ‘Vanawas’ Lord Rama was engaged in a fierce battle with Ravana (the demon king) to rescue his wife Sita,whom Ravana abducted and held in his kingdom, Lanka. In that battle Ravana could not be defeated easily. So Lord Ram decided to seek blessings from Shakti-the Mother Goddess Durga in order to defeat Ravana. Lord Rama desired to perform the puja offering108 blue lotus to Devi. But Rama could manage only 107. Without that one lotus his puja would be incomplete, so he was on the verge of laying one of his eyes that was lotus-shaped and blue in colour at the Goddess's feet. At this moment,Goddess Durga appeared and satisfied with his devotion, granted her blessing and eventually he won the battle against Ravana. The time he worshipped was sharat kaal.Since,sharat considered as the sleeping time of Gods and Rama worshipped Devi during her sleeping time raising her from her sleep, so it was called ‘Akaal Bodhon’.Bodhon means to raising Goddess from sleep and as Ramachandra had raised her from her sleep in wrong time this ‘sharat-puja’ is called akal bodhon.Another legend, which is associated with the celebration of Durga puja is the story of the defeat of the demon king, Mahishasura at the hands of Goddess Durga, the incarnation of Shakti (the power). This demon was almost invincible because of a boon granted by Lord Shiva whereby no male could defeat him. So to find a solution to this all the God amalgamated their power and gave birth to Shakti (the power) in the form of Goddess Durga. She defeated the demon king and killed him. That's why she is called Mahishasuramardini (the slayer of Mahishasura). The holy battle symbolizes the victory of Good over Evil. However, according to another legend about Durga, she was a manifestation of Parvati, Shiva's wife.
¤ Flashes of the Past
However, according to another legend about Durga, she was a manifestation of Parvati, Shiva's consort. It seems that while Parvati existed only for Shiva, Durga was the form of Parvati's shakti (power) that was created solely for destroying demoniac forces.
Close to the heart of almost every Bengali is the image of Durga as the daughter who visits her parents annually. Her children Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth), Saraswati (Goddess of Knowledge), Ganesha (God of Prosperity) and Kartikeya accompany her on this visit. Each year, there is great rejoicing at the time of her homecoming, but the air is tinged with sadness on the day one bids adieu to the deity. Perhaps people identify more intimately with the human face of the omnipotent Goddess.
Durga Puja is widely celebrated in West Bengal and Tripura where it is a five-day annual holiday. Not only it is the biggest Hindu festival celebrated throughout the State, but also the most significant socio-cultural event in Bengali society. Apart from West Bengal, Durga Puja is also celebrated in Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and in some parts of India including Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir, Karnataka and Kerala. Durga Puja is also celebrated as a major festival in Nepal and Bangladesh. Nowadays, many non-residential Bengali cultural organizations arrange for Durgotsab in the countries like United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Kuwait etc also. In 2006, a grand Durga Puja ceremony was held in the Great Court of the British Museum.
The prominence of Durga Puja increased gradually during the British Raj in Bengal. After the Hindu reformists resemble Durga with India, she had become an icon for the Indian independence movement.Nandalal bose had painted 'BharatMata' with the idea of Durga.On the first quarter of 20th Century, the tradition of Baroyari or Community Puja was popularised due to this. After independence, Durga Puja became one of the largest celebrated festivals in the whole world.
Durgotsava-as a corporate ExtravaganzaDurga Puja is a most important socio-religious extravaganza, associated with the Bengali culture in particular scattered all over the world. This four days' carnival show though based on traditional Hindu religious faith and belief, now a days has become an yearly carnival show of 200 million Bengalis across the world. Durga Devi-a symbol of shakti (strength and spirit) now expanded her religio-meaning to cultural icon to her devotees with the changes happened with globalization. The 'Eternal Mother'Durga is now being treated as an multifaceted industry. The heritage idol also has become corporate. And, Mother gives her devotees not only blessings but also some gainful benefit in terms of various businesses. Thousands of people, apart from Bengalis only, make their earnings through, Puja-fashion, Puja-related cottage industries, artifice, puja-paintings, puja special-saree, ornaments, sweets and fruits, literature, Magazines, cookeries, puja-tourism,(Puja-special trains,and aircrafts,Puja special cabs etc.),clothes and what not?The markets in big citiy's malls to small town bazaars try their best to compensate their whole years' loss or increase the amount of profit during Puja season. Puja-season which fall in the months of September and October, becomes the most significant congenial time for the people of all walks of life.So,people wait for Durga Puja with sheer earnestness. 'When the Puja aasche?' or at the time of Idol immersion the youths shout, 'Asche bochor aabar hobey'(next year again Devi will come).