Durga Puja.

The durga puja has been celebrated since the medieval period and has evolved to the world as time passed. Early forms of durgotsav were primarily private worship in personal residence with the use of various musical instruments such as mridanga, mandira and sankha. It was in 18^th century that durga puja became famous among the aristocrats. Prominent puja were organized by the zamindars and jagirdars being enriched by emerging british rule including raja nabakrishna deb of shobhabajar who initiated an elaborate puja at his residence. Festivities were celebrated as a community where royalty and peasantry were welcomed in the homes of the zamindars to feast together. The festivities became heavily centered around entertainment, music, and female dancers as well as lavish feast which continued for the entire month. In the 19^th century the pujas celebrated placed less emphasis on elaborate celebration and feasting.

It is said that, “Goddess Durga comes to her maternal home every year for four days”. Ma Durga symbolizes the winning of the good over the evil. Durga puja is also known as Sharodotsav in Bengali. The Durga Puja is observed actually for six days, starting from Mahalaya. On Mahalaya the eyes of maa Durga is drawn which gives life to the idol. The dates are set according to the traditional Hindu calendar and are also called devi paksha. Devi paksha comes on mahalaya and then the last date is ended on kajagori lakshmi puja.

Durga puja marks the victory of goddess Durga over the evil demon mahishashur. Thus durga puja symbolizes the victory of the good over the evil. Durga puja also includes the worship of shiva, who is durga’s spouse, in addition to lakshmi, saraswati, ganesha and karthikeya considered to be durga’s children. Worship of ‘kala bou’ is also done. Kala bou is considered to be ganesha’s wife. Durga puja is also known as Akalbodhon, Sharadiya puja, Sharadotsav, Maha puja,etc. The actual worship of durga as stipulated by the Hindu scriptures fall in the month of ‘chaitra’. It is called the basanti durga puja. Since the goddess is evoked at the wrong time it is called Akal Bodhon. The most recent revival of the autumnal worship of goddess durga can be traced to revivalist tendencies in the early freedom movement in Bengal. The first seen puja was organized by raja Nabarishna Deb of the Shobhabazar Rajbari of Calcutta in honour of Lord Clive in 1757. The puja was organized as clive wished to pay thanks for his victory in the battle of Plassey. He was unable to go to church because the only church was destroyed by siraj-ud-daula. There is also a mythological believe that Lord Ram who was a Durga worshiper worshiped goddess Durga before going for a war with Ravana. On the day of ashwin shukla dashami Lord Rama’s party found Sita and defeated ravana. This day is thus celebrated as dussehra.

They moved from being a show of wealth and authority by royalty and merchants back to festival of worship and celebration. Many of the old pujas exist still now. But the oldest is celebrated in rameshwaram in Orissa. Today the culture of durga puja has shifted from princely house to sarbojonin. Durga puja mood starts off with the mahishashura mardini a two hour radio programme that has been popular. During the week of durga puja the entire state of West Bengal as well as in large enclaves of Bengalis; everywhere life comes to a complete standstill. Mantras, the integral part of durga puja has accompanied by rhythmic beating of dhak.

 

Atreyee Mazumdar

UG-BMS

3rd Semester