INTRODUCTION:–
Our country India looks incomplete without festivals. Variant ceremonies commemorated all over India gives a feeling of positivity and love.
People Worship God and goddesses, devoting themselves heartly shows the connectivity of India towards spirituality.
Durga pooja, a holy and graceful festival
having a deep moral inside and a packet full of joy and happiness.
Let’s throw some spotlight on this delightful festival and the different ways to celebrate it.
TABLE OF CONTENTS :-
- About festival of Navratri
- Mythological story behind Durga pujan
- Variant ways to celebrate it
- Significance of this holy festival
ABOUT FESTIVAL OF DURGA POOJAN AND NAVRATRI:-
Durga pooja also known as Durgotsava, a Hindu festival popularised in the Indian states basically. It is the Ten days festival celebrated during October month according to Gregorian Calendar and in the maas of Ashwin according to Indian Calendar.
The festival coincides with the Occasion of Navratri in some of the states, paying respect to Hindu goddesses, the Divine avatar’s of goddess Durga.
Moreover, the festival is marked with the victory of Mata Durga over Mahishasura.
All the nine avatar’s of Goddess Durga are worshiped each day and the tenth day is the day of Dashmi which has different significance in different states.
The decorations, pandals, Durga poojan and many more enthusiastic things make the festival more graceful.
Mythological Story Behind Durga Pujan:-
The last five days of this religious festival of Navratri are of main significance starting from the sixth day of Ashwin Shukla and ending at tenth day of Ashwin Shukla,the day of Vijayadashmi.
The victory of good over evil is the lesson taught by this festival when Goddess Durga won the battle over Mahishasura, the powerful asura who can change his shapes accordingly.
In some states, the days are respected with worshipping Maa Durga as in Southern states and on the other side, this worshipping coincides with the festival of Navratri and Dussehra, in the Northern sides.
The other major deities include Mata Lakshmi, Mata Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya who are believed to be visiting at every worshipping home along with Mata durga.
Variant Ways To Celebrate It:-
These festival day’s are celebrated all over India with great enthusiasm and joy.
- The tradition of Bengal and Assam commence Maa Durga’s visit called Mahalaya under which Mata is welcomed at homes with holy rituals and then, goddess Durga is worshipped for 10 days day night with whole heart and the holy sculptures made with clay are then immersed in river on the tenth day marking her return to God Shiva in KailashThis is called as “Ghat Visarjan”
- The Royal families organize the Durga pujan by sponsoring it on a higger level with full enthusiasm.
- Durga Maa is worshipped in her Lakshmi and Saraswati forms and on the tenth day of victory, the loud drumbeats,crowd and dance all around. Sacred images are carried in huge processions till the river.
- Idols of Goddess and lion are kept in big pandals well decorated with lightenings and bamboo structures and the diya is lightened for 24 hours each day.
- The five days of Durg pooja known as Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijayadashmi. Each day having its own importance.
- Durga maa songs and dances are organised on the community level making the festival more special. Drums named “Dhaak” are banged in every pandal.
- The days are celebrated as nine nights festival of Navratri in the Northern side of India marking the divine power of nine goddesses.
- Kumari Puja- Maa Durga killed Mahishasura on the day of Maha Ashtami.So, people worship girls less than 9 years of age depicting them as Goddess Durga.
Significance Of This Holy Festival:–
- The auspicious festival is celebrated because of the victory of Goddess Durga over evils on the day of Vijayadashmi, triumph over the demon king Mahishasura and on the other side, victory of Lord Rama over Ravana.
- It depicts that truth and good deeds win at the end and moving on the path of violence is an inhuman quality
- Occasion marks the great importance especially for Bengali and Assam communities because there is a belief that the Goddess visit her earth at this time to bless her devotees.
- King Mahishasura had got the powers of invincibility which means no God can even kill him. Then, the divine lights of all the God and Goddesses came together and resulted in Maa Durga Avatar who killed the demon.
- The Image of Goddess Durga represents destruction of evil and protection of good and worshipping her reflects that ruthless behaviour with cleverness destroy all the desires and unfold the gained divinity.
Conclusion
The festivals of India are literally commendable, each one teaching the moral values of humanity and love.
Being Human and being honest is the only thing a person need to be.
Doing Good deeds helps in attaining every unfilled desire and one can live the life peacefully.
Writing credit – Kavya
