Durga Puja-2022 Heats Up Amidst Continuing Humid Heat!

Kolkata is fully back to its old-normal ways after two long painful years as West Bengal's biggest festival Durga Puja heats up. Pandal hopping is in full flow with thousands on a spree of 'Thakur Dekha' (how many Goddess idols have you seen?) almost since the start of Navaratri. Although Durga Puja rituals start only from Mahashasthi which starts today, technically for all here Goddess Durga descends on earth on Mahalaya, the last day of Pitru Paksha, that is the eve for the beginning of the bright lunar phase or Shukla Paksha.

There are crowds thronging the major pandals, particularly from afternoon to late night every day, with their mobiles clicking non-stop, falling upon each other for a better view, the rush for the selfies in all available spaces, thronging all the eating joints to their fullest capacity and all the smiles. Celebration is the motif and soul of the festival. Married or unmarried couples of all ages who could be going through lots of strain and stress in the preceding months/years now suddenly find their spouses or partners emitting heavenly smiles before their mobile cameras in selfie mode. The smartly-dressed ladies do it the best possible way, posing in selfie mode for hours and in the process dishing out the sweet and heavenly smiles that their now-energised male partners never possibly witness easily, particularly on the home fronts.

There are hurdles too. The almost unbearable humid heat continues thanks to the near-miss meted out to Kolkata and some other parts of the state by the South West monsoon and the forecast of moderate to heavy rains in the coming days. Temperatures are around 35-degree C still, further worsened by the cloudy skies and up to 90% humidity. However, the unparalleled spirit and enthusiasm of the Bongs defies it all. They'll walk, commute and crowd endlessly, sweating and getting exhausted in the process. Then there is the policing! Perhaps fearing an extreme rush after the two-year COVID layoff some measures taken by the police were also extreme. Entry roads blocked on one side, at times quite unnecessarily. Then they allow you enter the Puja pandal on some lane and exit you on some unknown backside lane due to which many puja revelers lose their way like in a maze and in the pricess losing precious tine and missing out nearby pandals. But come what may, the hoppers would defy all and  definitely won't have rains looking upon Maa Durga to grant their wishes.

Let the spirit of devotion and dedication prevail. Happy Durga Puja 2022!

Durga Puja-2012!

The destroyer of evil this year has arrived today—the sixth day of the illuminated lunar fortnight or Sashthi—with the idols of Goddess Durga being installed in public pandals across India and offerings of prayers for the first day rituals. Navratri celebrations (nine nights of worship, prayers and ritualistic dancing for various forms of Goddess Durga) is already in full swing from the 16^thof October, 2012.

Elaborate rituals, offerings of various nature, daily Prasad of fruits and Kichdi Bhog as a full midday meal and evening cultural programs will continue for the Saptami (7^th day of the lunar fortnight and 2^ndday of Durga Puja), the Ashtami (8^th day), Navami (9^thday) and Vijaya Dashami or Dasera (10^th and immersion day of Devi Durga, in most Pujas Bhog is not distributed on this day). On the Dasera day Goddess Durga idols will be immersed in the rivers or lakes across the country along with public symbolic burning of evil in various forms.

Happy Durga Puja-2012! Feel the strength of truth and honesty, and be blessed by Her! 

The Destroyer of Evil is Descending on Earth Tonight!

The female Goddess of the Shakti cult in the forms of Amba Devi and Durga Devi is descending on earth tonight to mark the beginning of the illuminated lunar fortnight.


Today is the  the new moon day called Amavas and the last and most important day of dark lunar fortnight called Pitru Paksha which belongs to dead ancestors of all Hindus who pay homage to their forefathers.(Pitru)  As this fortnight has everything to do with the dead it is termed inauspicious and no crucial decisions are taken during this period.

From tomorrow Navratri festival in worship of Amba Devi will be celebrated in mostly western India with singing and dancing every night till late for nine days. This form of dancing is called Dandiya Raas.

From the sixth evening of this fortnight Durga Puja will start. Goddess Durga, the most powerful form of the shakti cult, is worshipped in India in terms of 'Durga Puja' during Sept-Oct every year. This puja covers five days including the day of installing the idol. It is the biggest festival in Eastern India.

Durga Devi is the destroyer of all evil forces. In the composite idol consisting of Lakshmi Devi, Saraswati Devi, Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartika there is one image a 'danava' or demon being killed by Goddess Durga. Devotees around India worship her throughout the year calling out on her to conquer evil which manifests itself in numerous forms.
On the last day of Durga Puja devi idols are taken to rivers or lakes and immersed amidst joy and fulfillment.

For 2011, Durga Puja starts on October 2nd that is sasthi or the sixth day of the illuminated lunar cycle when idol is installed. It will continue till 6th that is the Dashami (the tenth day) or Dasera when symbolic forms of evil are ritually burnt amidst joy and togetherness and idols are immersed. For both Navratri and Durga Puja Dasera is the climax moment.

The festivities and celebrations are set to start from tonight till the ushering in of the New Year.