Durga puja in Bengal is not a just a festival spanning for five days.Neither is it only about Orthodox worshipping of a goddess,nor is it confined to a single religion because although religion is a personal affair but festivals are for everyone. It is an emotion of every bengali.It is that occasion which marks the happiest time of the year for thousands of people.Durga puja is the definition of happiness,festivities,food,laughter and a break from the mundane life.
Just after the monsoons,the blue sky with fluffy white clouds and the blooming white 'kash' and fragrant siuli(parijat) flowers come as the messengers of Durga Puja and the people of bengal get ready for the festivities.The 'kumor para' or the idol makers colonies everywhere in Bengal begin creating their masterpieces.
The people in bengal start planning their purchases and the shops deck up with the latest fashions.Afterall,Durga puja is the time when everyone wants to look their best.The shopping lanes get crowded and the tailors and the beautcians work throughout the day to keep up with the heavy demand.The clubs and societies plan their theme and compete with each other to come up with unique ideas for pandals and lightings.Usual work goes on,but people overwork themselves to prepare for the upcoming festivities.
Goddess Durga is not only the mother of bengal but she is the daughter as well.Durga puja,unlike in other parts of India,is not about a religious occasion.It is the homecoming of daughter from her husband's abode with her little children-Laxmi,Saraswati,Ganesh and Kartik.She is often thought of as a bengali married woman-in red bordered white saree and sankha- pola(traditional bangles for bengali married women).The traditional idol that is worshipped everywhere in Bengal depicts the Goddess with ten hands,sitting on a lion and stabbing mahishasur with her trident.She has her children with their rides by her side.On top the idol a photo or an idol of shiva is essentially placed as it is considered that shiva is always present with his beloved wife.
On the first day of Durga Puja,that is,sasthi,bengal lights up with the festivities.Unique pandals with themes ,art and creativity stand ready to welcome the goddess and the visitors.Colourful lights light up the streets,pandals and homes.People in their best clothes and best make-up throng the streets and start pandal hoping.Every pandal and idol are pieces of art!The themes are such that one would be transported from the streets to Taj Mahal to kedarnath to forests to haunted house to rajasthan to moon to mars and so on in a span of one night.
Saptami begins with the bathing ritual of 'Naba patrika' and 'kola bou' .This ritual begins early in the morning where nine types of leaves(naba patrika) and a banana tree dressed in saree(kola bou) are carried in a palanquin and bathed in a nearby pond or river.The 'naba patrika' represents the goddess and 'kola bou' is considered to be the wife of Ganesha.After the morning rituals
The days and hours pass by without anyone realising that it is already dashami,the last day of Durga Puja.Just before the the goddess is carried to the waters for immersion,the married women come to show their love and respect to the goddess.The rituals done are similar to vidai of a wedding ceremony just before the bride leaves her home to move to her in laws.Remember,Durga is not only the mother,but the daughter as well.
During this time the women indulge in 'sidur khela' where married women put vermilion on one another.
After this, the goddess is carried away in a truck in a procession of people dancing to the sounds of dhak and loud cries of "Bolo Durga ma e ki....Joy.....".."Aschhe bochhor abar hobe"(we shall celebrate again next year) can be heard..And then the goddess is immersed in water from where she is believed to go back to her husband's abode..Everyone wishes each other 'Subho Vijoya',youngers touch the feet of elders for blessings and the elders feed them with various types of sweets.
Wait...Did you think the festival is over??Although,the countdown for Durga puja for the next year begins,festivities aren't over yet..
People prepare to welcome goddess Laxmi on the Kojagari laxmi puja..
Afterall,We bengali have 'Baro masey tero parbon' I.e. 13 festivals in 12 months...
