Durga Puja 2019-Most Popular Hindu Festival In India
About Durga Puja:
Durga Puja is additionally known as Durgotsava. It is an annual Hindu festival originating within the Indian subcontinent that reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess, Durga. It is significantly widespread within the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Tripura, and Odisha, the country of Bangladesh, and therefore the diaspora from this region, and additionally in Nepal, wherever it's celebrated as Dashain. The festival is observed in the Indian calendar month of Ashwin, which corresponds to the months of September-October within the Gregorian calendar, and is a ten-day festival, of which the last five days are of very significant.
History of Durga Puja:
According to available archeological and textual evidence, Durga is an ancient deity of Hinduism. However, the origins of Durga puja are not clear and unregistered. Available manuscripts from the 14th-century provide guidelines for Durga puja. But Historical records propose the royalty and wealthy families to be sponsoring major Durga Puja public festivities, since at least the 16th-century. The 11th or 12th-century Jain text Yasatilaka by Somadeva refers to an annual festival devoted to a warrior goddess, celebrated by the king and his armed forces, and the description mirrors attributes of Durga puja.
Rituals and Practices of Durga Puja:
Durga puja is an auspicious 10 days event, of which the last 5 days involve certain rituals. This festival begins with Mahalaya, the day marks the advent of Durga from her mythological marital home in Kailash. The next significant day of the festival is the 6th day (Sashthi), on which devotees welcome the goddess and festive celebrations are inaugurated. On the 7th day (Saptami), 8th (Ashtami) and 9th (Navami) days, the goddess along with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, and Kartikeya are revered and these days mark the main days of worship with the recitation of scriptures, puja, legends of Durga in Devi Mahatmya, social visits to fully decorated and illuminated pandals, among others.
Decorations, Sculptures, and Stages:
The process of the creation of clay sculpture-idols (Pratima) for the puja is a ritualistic process. Clay or alluvial soil is collected from different regions to form the base of the Pratima. In fact, there are some traditions in Kolkata, where the custom is to include soil samples in the clay mixture for Durga from areas believed to be nishiddho pallis (forbidden territories).
The base of Pratima is composed of straw, kneaded, and then molded into a cast made from hay and bamboo. Then at the finishing step; final shaping, cleaning, painting, and polishing are done. A layer of a fiber called jute, mixed in with clay is also attached to the top to prevent the statue from cracking in the months ahead. The heads of the statues are more complex and are usually made separately. The limbs and digits of the Pratima are mainly shaped from bundles of straws. The local artisans hand-paint the sculpture-idols which are later dressed in clothing, are decorated and bejeweled and displayed at the puja altars.
Animal and Symbolic Sacrifice:
Shakta Hindu communities mark the slaying of Mahishasura and the victory of Durga with a symbolic or actual sacrifice. Almost every community prefer symbolic sacrifice, in which a statue of the asura is made of flour or equivalent, is immolated and smeared with vermilion, symbolic of the blood that had spilled during the battle. There are also other substitutes like a vegetable or a sweet dish considered equivalent to the animal. In certain instances, devotees consider animal sacrifice distasteful and practice alternate means of expressing devotion while respecting the views of others in their tradition.
Pandals and Theme-based Pujas:
Months before the start of Durga Puja, youth members of the community collect funds and donations, engage priests and artisans, buy votive materials, and help build pandals. Generally, these pandals are centered around a theme, which has risen to prominence in recent years. These themes include folk culture, a celebration of cinema, womanhood, pro-environment themes. But some others have chosen metaphorical themes such as the celebration of maati (soil or ash). Pandals have also been replicated based on existing temples, structures, and monuments, etc.
Durga Puja Dates 2019:
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Mahalaya: 28 September 2019 Saturday
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Panchmi: 3 October 2019 Thursday
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Shashthi: 4 October 2019 Friday
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Saptami: 5 October 2019 Saturday
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Ashtami: 6 October 2019 Sunday
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Nabami: 7 October 2019 Monday
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Dashmi: 8 October 2019 Tuesday
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Mahalaya: 28 September 2019 Saturday
Panchmi: 3 October 2019 Thursday
Shashthi: 4 October 2019 Friday
Saptami: 5 October 2019 Saturday
Ashtami: 6 October 2019 Sunday
Nabami: 7 October 2019 Monday
Dashmi: 8 October 2019 Tuesday
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HINDU TRADITION