Skip to main content

Durga Puja

Durga Puja, or the annual celebration of Hindu goddess Durga, is one of India’s grandest festivals. It is a multiple-day celebration varying from 6 days in some parts of the country to 10 days in others. In most of Northern India the festival is celebrated as Navratri (nine nights). Regardless of these variations, the last four days of Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijay Dashami, are particularly important and accordingly celebrated with much splendor around the country.

In most parts of the country, the festival commemorates the victory of the goddess over a demon called Mahishasura. As told by Hindu mythology, the demon was set out to wage war against the gods and it was up to Durga to slay him and protect earth. She began her battle against the demon on the seventh day of Navratri, known as Maha Saptami and slayed him by the final day of Vijay Dashami.

The goddess, known to Hindus as the ‘destroyer of evil’, is characterized by her ten arms carrying various lethal weapons, as well as her vehicle – the lion. Also known as Bhavani, Amba, Chandika, Gauri, Parvati, Mahishasuramardini, Durg a is the ‘Mother goddess’ and the ‘Protector of the Righteous’ to Hindu devotees.

Though the festival is considered to date back to ancient times in the Hindu religion, the first historic record of such a celebration of the goddess is available from the 1500s in West Bengal. However, the festival is considered to have gained a lot of prominence and have emerged to its current status as one of the country’s largest festivals during the country’s independence movement. The goddess was considered by many to be an icon for the country and its freedom struggle.

Today, the festival is celebrated with song and dance, fasting followed by feasts, elaborate decorations, and pujas or grand ceremonies at temples and religious recitals. In some parts of the country idols of the goddess are immersed in water, whereas in other parts of the country young girls dress as the goddess and partake in various rituals at temples and public celebrations.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Indira Gandhi

  Indira Gandhi, the second from her lineage to have wielded the position of Head of State, is the only woman to have been elected as the Prime Minister in India to date. With a long-standing political career, she served close to four terms as India’s Prime Minister from 1966-1977 and then again from 1980-1984.  Born on November 19, 1917, as Indira Priyadarshani Nehru, she was the only daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. Born into a family of freedom fighters and political leaders, her entire life was spent in the realm of politics.  Indira Gandhi boasted an illustrious educational background. She studied at some of the most prominent institutions, both domestic and foreign. Her academic years were spent at Ecole Nouvelle, Bex (Switzerland), Ecole Internationale in Geneva, Pupils’ Own School in Pune and Mumbai, Badminton School in Bristol, Vishwa Bharati, Shantiniketan and Somerville College of Oxford University. She became inquisitive about p...
Post a Comment
Read more

Infirmity

Infirmity: Understanding Physical Weakness and Its Implications In our fast-paced world, where strength and vigor are often associated with productivity and capability, the concept of infirmity or physical weakness tends to carry significant stigma. This stigma not only affects individuals grappling with their physical limitations but also reflects broader societal attitudes toward health, wellness, and the human experience of being frail. Defining Infirmity Infirmity refers to a condition of being weak, especially due to age or illness. It encompasses a wide range of physical conditions that can impact an individual’s mobility, strength, and overall physical capability. While the term is often associated with the elderly or chronically ill, infirmity can affect anyone at any stage of life. The causes of infirmity can be varied and complex. They may be rooted in genetic predispositions, lifestyle choices, environmental factors, or pathological conditions. Conditions like arthri...
Post a Comment
Read more

World Autism Awareness Day

  World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day annually on April 2, encouraging Member States of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about autistic individuals throughout the world. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution (A/RES/62/139)., passed in council on November 1, 2007, and adopted on December 18, 2007. It was proposed by Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned, the United Nations Representative from Qatar, and supported by all member states. This resolution was passed and adopted without a vote in the UN General Assembly, mainly as a supplement to previous UN initiatives to improve human rights. World Autism Day is one of only seven official health-specific UN Days. The terms "Autism Awareness Day" and "Autism Awareness Month" are often contested by autism rights advocates, who claim that they feed into ableism against au...
Post a Comment
Read more