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Devoted to Durga Durga Puja is the greatest social and cultural event of the year in Bengal. No other religious festival generates the same amount of enthusiasm in the Bengalis, reports Kiran Narain
She is worshipped as Shakti —the storehouse of supreme power and form of strength. Mahishasur, so the story says, had defeated the gods and driven them out of their celestial kingdom. The gods met Lord Shiva and sought his help. With the help of Brahma and Vishnu, Shiva transformed his wife Parvati into Durga — the personification of power with 10 arms, each one armed with a deadly weapon (given by different gods). As the demon had a boon from Brahma, he could not be killed by god, demon or man; he had to be killed by a woman of supreme prowess. During his combat with Durga, Mahishasur is said to have assumed different forms and as he was being killed in the form of a buffalo, his soul tried to escape in the shape of a man. It was at this moment that Durga killed him with a lasso given by Varuna and a trident by Shiva. That is why Mahishasura is shown with a human head and a buffalo’s body. The Puja festival begins with Mahalaya, the total annihilation of the universe. The ritual of Ghat sthaapana symbolises the puja for the creation of new universe. An earthen pot, a banana stump, a green coconut and a sacrificial goat are usually enough to starting the puja. On the sixth day of the lunar month, Ganesha’s wife ‘Kalabou’ is taken in the form of a green banana stump to the Ganga or any local river. After bathing in the river, she is dressed up in the traditional Bengali saree that is white with a red border. At an auspicious time, Durga is brought and later on, the Praanpratishta takes place by which the spirit of the goddess comes to reside in the image. The Bengali artists’ ingenuity in making idols out of clay, paper, cork, seashells, glass, matchsticks or even banana pith is praiseworthy. Durga with her 10 arms (in most other parts of India she is shown with eight arms only) each holding a different weapon, is shown astride a lion. Below her is shown the bleeding Mahishasur. The traditional sacrificing has now been relaxed and a sacrifice that may be deemed proper by the worshipper may be offered. It may vary from a goat to a chaal kumda (ash-gourd) or sugarcane. Sandhya puja is held and a special type of dance called dhoonooch naach is performed. Dancers appear to be dancing in a trace at the beat of drums and music made by brass cymbals. The eighth day, Sandhi Puja, is the most important. Devotees have the firm conviction that Durga will open her eyes for a split second and grant their wishes. At this time, music is played with special instruments such as ghanto, dhol, dhal etc. The ninth day of Durga Puja is the anti-climax. A small puja is held to welcome Shiva who is supposed to arrive, this day, to fetch his wife and children. Bijoy Dashmi is the final day when the images are taken out in a processuion for ‘immersion’. In the evening, the idols are taken out one by one into the river for immersion, which lasts, at times, for the whole night. The youth performing the Bhangra or dancing to western tunes played by the band in front of trucks carrying the idols is a common sight. In olden days, zamindaars and royalty would finance and celebrate the puja in their houses. This ritual has become a thing of the past. The present Durga Puja is a joint venture undertaken by the entire neighbourhood for which cash contributions are made. Communal feasting has become a part of the Bengali Durga Puja celebrations, even outside Bengal. — A Tribune photo |
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WHILE
Dasehra in the North is celebrated to commemorate Rama’s victory
over Ravana, in Bengal it is a celebration of Maa Durga’s encounter
with the demon Mahishasur.