Durga Puja 2010

Friday, September 17, 2010

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Durga Puja is an annual festival celebrated in India and the greatest festival of Bengal. It is celebrated during the month of Ashwin of the Hindu calendar which comes on during the month of late September
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Following the Hindu Solar calendar Durga Puja schedule falls on the first 9days of the month of Ashwin. The days of Puja are calculated on the basis of sun rise and sun set. The time schedules of Durga Puja and its religious performances are based on the lunar month which is divided into two halves; the first called the full moon phase and the second called the new moon phase.

The moon’s movements are known in traditional Bengali as ‘Tithi’. The ‘Devi Paksha’, the actual time when the puja is celebrated is a fortnight time period which starts on the day of Mahalaya. ‘Mahalaya’ falls on the new moon day of the month of Ashwin and from the next day starts the ‘Devi Paksha’. The day of Mahalaya notifies the home coming of Devi Durga. The tunes of Agamani, the welcome note of the Goddess fill the atmosphere.

This full moon phase is called the ‘Devi Paksha’ and Durga Puja celebrations start from the fifth day of the phase known as ‘Sasthi’. The festival continues for five days and ends on the day of ‘Dashami’ which is the tenth day of the phase.

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Lakshmi Puja.

Following Dashami on the fourth day, which is known as the chaturdasi, Lakshmi Puja is celebrated. This Lakshmi Puja is commonly known in Bengal as Kojagari Lakshmi Puja.

Lakshmi Puja is celebrated on the full moon night and this night is considered to be very auspicious. Thus in all the Bengali households this puja is observed.

Durga Puja Schedule 2010

13th October 2010 ---- Sasthi

14th October 2010 ---- Saptami

15th October 2010 ---- Mahashtami

16th October 2010 ---- Navami

17th October 2010 ---- Vijaya Dasami

Following the Durga Puja schedule certain offerings are made on the respective days at the particular Tithi when the Puja takes place.

On the day of Sasthi five types of grains are offered to the Goddess which is known as ‘Panchasashya’. Other things offered are ‘Panchgobbo’ which is five items obtained from cow and lastly ‘Panchakshoshay’ which is barks of five trees.

Fruits, flowers, clothes, sweets, sindur, alta and other items of a girl’s use are offered to the Goddess.

On the day of Saptami, Asthami and Navami bhog are offered to Devi which is later on distributed among the devotees as Prasad. Along with the bhog other items like betel leaves and nuts, sweets are also offered.

The mantras during the puja along with the beat of the Dhak make the festival more joyous and enthusiastic.

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