Durga Puja or Durgotsav is not like any other puja or worship rituals. This 5-days long festival is an emotion for all the Bengalis across the globe. They wait throughout the year with the utmost yearning for these days full of festivities, food and fun. Non-Bengalis will never understand why Bongs love pandal-hopping so much.
For Bengalis, Durga Puja is the most auspicious time of the year when Goddess Durga returns to her own home – earth, along with her children- Ganesh, Kartik, Lakshmi and Saraswati. More than puja, the festival is like the homecoming of a daughter who stays away at Kailash.
Mohaloya
It is believed that on Mohaloya, before daybreak, at 4 am; Maa Durga starts her journey towards her earth with her beloved children. She finally completes the sojourn and reaches her abode on Shoshti. The Bengalis welcome her with the warmth of dhunuchi and the rhythm of dhak and kashor.
Shoshthi to Nobomi
When the rest of the world celebrates Navratre or nine avatars of Ma Durga and practice fasting all through these nine days, Bengalis celebrate the carnival on a different note. For them, it is a time to rejoice and celebrate and hence, from Shoshthi to Nobomi (6th to 9th day), they dress up, show up, meet people, have fun, visit different pandals, participate in different cultural programs and feast on delectable food.
Durga puja celebration knows no discrimination. People from all classes, caste, religions, or creeds can be a part of this festival.
Decked up pandals – A sight to behold
If you are a Non-Bengali and have not yet visited a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata, you are seriously missing out on something big. From idols to decoration, each thing looks perfect and majestic. Puja pandals are an open testimony of the impeccable craftsmanship of the decorators and artisans. From plastic bottles to pure gold, everything goes into making these pandals spectacular, gorgeous and magnanimous.
Not just the pandals, but the entire city decks up during Durga puja. Fairy lights and colourful neon lights are used to decorate the streets, narrow lanes, and main roads. The entire city seems to be twinkling in happiness as the most awaited festival of the year takes place.
Soul-satisfying delicacies
Durga puja is no less than a carnival for the Bongs. Throughout the 5 days of endless festivities, they gorge on scrumptious dishes. Of course, Khichudi Bhog tops the list. It is the Prashad that is first served to Durga ma and later on distributed among people.
Besides, Durga puja committees organise food fest where numerous food stalls serve their delicacies to the pandal visitors. Also, there are no compulsions regarding non-vegetarian food items. So, you can expect a wide variety of both Veg and Non-veg dishes near the pandals. Simply visit the pandals with your family and friends to witness the surreal beauty of Ma Durga, and then feast on the lip-smacking delicacies to satisfy your hunger pangs. End your day with Bengali sweets that melt in the mouth.
Extremely crowded streets
Durga puja is indeed a big deal for the Bongs, and they do not mind jostling through surging crowds to visit their favourite pandals. They stand in long queues just to get an entry in the pandals to witness Durga ma in all her glory. The streets get thronged with people who are out there to participate in the maddening festival of laughter, frolics and jubilation.
Bijoya Doshomi
Do you know what hurts more than a breakup? Ask a Bong, and they will right away tell you the visarjan of Maa Durga is enough to shatter your heart into pieces. Every Bengali sheds tears when Durga Ma’s idol finally leaves the pandal, and her devotees finally immerse the idol into a nearby water body. It’s a heart-wrenching moment when Bongs keep shouting “Ashche Bochor, Abar Hobe” (next year, we will welcome you again!)
Wrapping Up
Durga puja is a dreamy affair for the Bengalis. They wait for their beloved Maa throughout the year. Once the festivity is over, Bongs feel empty for a few days and take some time to bounce back to normal life. You can never understand the emotions until you witness the enormity of the Durga puja celebration in West Bengal.