Yesterday (21-September, 2017) marked the first day of Navratri - a multi-day Hindu festival celebrated in the autumn every year. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. It is the most observed in the honor of the divine feminine Devi - Maa Durga. The festival is celebrated in the bright half of the Hindu calendar month Ashvin, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October
Durga Puja is an annual Hindu festival in the Indian subcontinent that reveres the goddess Durga. It is particularly popular in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Tripura, and the diaspora from this region.
Durga Puja festival marks the battle of goddess Durga with the shape-shifting, deceptive and powerful buffalo demon Mahishasura, and her emerging victorious. Thus, the festival epitomizes the victory of Good over Evil,
The primary goddess revered during Durga Puja is Durga, but her stage and celebrations feature other major deities of Hinduism such as goddess Lakshmi (goddess of wealth, prosperity), Saraswati (goddess of knowledge and music), Ganesha (god of good beginnings) and Kartikeya (god of war). The latter two are considered to be children of Durga (Parvati).
The festival begins on the first day with Mahalaya, where Shakta Hindus remember the loved ones who have died, as well the advent of warrior goddess Durga.
Starting with the sixth day (Sasthi), the goddess is welcomed, festive Durga worship and celebrations begin in elaborately decorated temples and pandals hosting the statues
Bengalis get together here at these pandals, and pray to Goddess Durga in the traditional manner. Traditional dance and music play a huge part of the celebrations.
Food, of course, plays a huge part of the celebrations. The pandals have several stalls selling delicacies such as Muglai porota, fish chop, dim-er-devil, and of course, biryani
Muglai Paratha - a tasty bread prepared with spiced egg mixture and wheat flour.
Dimer Devil - Bengali style devlied eggs
Vijaya Dasami: the tenth and last day, marked by a great procession where the clay statues are ceremoniously walked to a river or ocean coast for a solemn goodbye to Durga. t is an emotional day for some devotees, and the congregation sings emotional goodbye songs and chants like 'Aashte bochor aabar hobey' (which translates to - this will repeat next year again).
Drummers called dhakis, carrying large leather-strung dhak create music, people dance and complete the final day of worship called aarati. On the tenth day, the clay Durga image is carried in great procession, with music and dancing, to a river or to ocean, where she is immersed as a goodbye and her return to Mount Kailasha and the cosmos
Many mark their faces with vermilion (sindoor) or dress in something red. This event is called Sindoor Utsav and is important for married women.
As the 10 day festival ends, people go back to their homes, awaiting the next year. Its a lovely festival, with a lot of community bonding involved.
With this, I bid you 'Shubho Bijoya'!
Thank you for reading!
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References:
Wikipedia
Bong Mom's Cookbook
nelive
All images sourced from 3rd parties have been credited via the embedded hyperlinks