Last Updated At: 07-Aug-2024
सर्वमङ्गलमाङ्गल्ये शिवे सर्वार्थसाधिके ।
शरण्ये त्र्यम्बके गौरि नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
This famous verse aptly defines Goddess Durga as it praises her purity and the power that she embodies along with her divinity and feminity. According to it, Goddess Durga is auspicious and imparts her auspiciousness to the world. She protects the ones who surrender themselves to her as she is the mother of 3 worlds and is known as Gauri, the daughter of mountains.
While we worship Goddess Durga throughout the year, Durga Puja is that time of the year when we worship and express our gratitude to the one who is a divine manifestation of the feminine energy and power. This 9-day long festival is one of the most popular festivals celebrated in India which marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon king, Mahishasura. Although the festival is celebrated primarily in the northeastern states of the country like West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tripura, Bihar, and Jharkhand, Navratri or Durga Puja is celebrated pan India as well with great fervour.
Durga Puja symbolizes the victory of good over evil. As per the Indian mythological texts, there was a demon king called Mahishasura who was blessed by Lord Brahma that no man or animal can defeat him. When his ill-deeds were unbearable, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva combined their powers to give birth to goddess Durga an avatar of Shakti. Goddess Durga then appeared on earth and fought with Mahishasura for 10 days to eventually defeat him. Durga Puja begins on the last day of Pitru Paksha when the goddess is invited on Earth from Kailash which is her husband's home. This day is known as Mahalaya, and the beginning of 'Devi Paksha' from here onwards the 9 days of Durga Puja are celebrated.
The divine feminine energy is celebrated Pan India with diverse names such as Navratri (9-day festival), and Durga Puja (6-day festival). The festival celebrates different avatars of Goddess Durga. Day 1 is dedicated to Goddess Shailputri, Day 2 to Goddess Brahmacharani, Day 3 to Goddess Chandraghanta, Day 4 to Goddess Kushmanda, Day 5 to Goddess Skandamata, Day 6 to Goddess Katyayani, Day 7 to Goddess Kaalratri, Day 8 to Goddess Mahagauri, and Day 9 to Goddess Siddhidatri.
Shifting the focus back to Durga puja, the festival is usually celebrated between the month of September and October after the Pitru Paksha gets over. In 2019, Durga puja will commence from 29th September 2019 but all the fun festivities begin only from 6th day which goes on until the 10th day which is from 4th October to the 8th October. A day before the festival begins is known as ‘Mahalaya’, the sixth day as ‘Shashthi’, the seventh day as ‘Saptami’, the eighth day as ‘Ashtami’ the ninth day as ‘Navami’ and the last day as ‘Vijaya Dashmi’ when the idol of goddess Durga is immersed in a water body.
On ‘Ashtami’, the eighth day of the festival, a young girl who hasn’t reached the age of puberty is worshipped as she symbolizes the young avatar of Maa Durga.
Dhunuchi is a clay pot in which coconut husk is burned to enhance the ambiance with a nice aroma. Devotees hold this clay pot and dance in front of the idol of goddess Durga.
Sindoor Khela is played on the eighth day of the festival by married women. Women dress in their traditional lal par shada saree and apply sindoor or vermillion on each other's faces to greet other married women at the pandal.
The festival ends on the tenth day when the idol of the goddess Durga is immersed in a water body.
CR Park or Chittaranjan park is known as ‘Mini Bengal’ in Delhi because a lot of Bengalis reside there. The place gets decorated every year to welcome Goddess Durga. CR Park’s Kali Mandir Society organizes Durga puja every year and establishes great pandals to welcome the devotees and the Goddess herself.
Durga Puja celebrations of Safdarjung Enclave are also popular for its huge and fascinating Durga idols that are carved by skilled artisans well in advance. Apart from the puja and all the rituals people also get to relish unique Bengali dishes at the pandals.
What makes the Durga Puja celebrations of Civil Lines special is the immersion ceremony. The idol of goddess Durga is taken in a bullock cart for immersion. Apart from the immersion ceremony, many other stalls are set up at the pandal which features handicraft items, clothes, and accessories for the visitors to buy.
Kali Bari temple is another popular destination where people visit to witness Durga Puja and its rituals. The temple is located in Connaught Place and is easy to reach via metro.
The pandals that are set up here to commemorate the festival are high on budget and appeal. The decoration of these pandals is similar to the lavish and grand pandals in Kolkata.
All the pandals will not only give you the divine darshan of the Goddess but will also give you easy access to the festival special Bengali platter. All the pandals in Delhi have special food and street food stalls wherein the focus is to pamper your taste buds with special sweets and dishes that are prepared in Bengal during Durga Puja.
Sandesh is a popular Bengali sweet that is prepared with cottage cheese, milk, and sugar. The sweet is prepared during the Durga puja to offer to the Goddess. Kamala Sweets in CR Park and Bangla Sweets in Connaught Place are the two shops where you can savor this sweet.
Malpua is an Indian version of pancakes and is very popular in the northern and northeastern states of India. Apart from Diwali, this sweet is also prepared during Durga Puja and served at pandals.
The Bengali Kolar Bora is prepared with banana, rice, wheat flour, powdered milk, sugar, cinnamon, and oil. One will find a stall dedicated to this dish at all the Durga Puja pandals in the city and all the Bengali sweet shops.
Durga Puja is not just a festival it carries the essence of Bengal and the matriarchal society that’s prevalent in the northeast. You don’t have to be disheartened if you can’t go to Bengal to witness the event because Delhi is nothing less than mini India that celebrates all the festivals, cultures and cuisines. Visit the 2019 Durga Puja pandals in Delhi to experience the festival in full bong style!
Also Read - Best Places for Navratri Celebrations In Gujarat
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