Durga Puja is Celebrated for five days.It is belived that Uma, with her four children, Ganesha, Kartik, Saraswati and Lakshmi and her two sakhis, Jaya and Bijaya, comes to visit her parents home each year during the season of sharat or autumn when Durga Puja is celebrated.
Mahalaya
The Festivities start with the first day called Mahalaya.It is also the day countdown to Durga Puja.All the members of the family remembers of the family remember their ancestors.This ritul is called tarpan.Various shlokas are chanted early in the morning in almost every home as well as in the puja mandaps.The week that follows the mahalaya is called Debi-pokhsha.
Soshti Puja
On the first day of the Puja, the women welcome the goddess with ulurdhoni and blow the conch(shonkho).All mothers keep a fast on this day to pray for the well being of their children.Worship is performed by ghata stapon where divinity is ritually invoked on the idol.The ceremony is called pran pratisthan.
Shoptomi Puja
From the shoptomi, the worship begins with nobo patrika, the binding together of branches of nine trees.The ensemble is bathed in the Ganga, draped in a white red bordered sari and placed beside Shri Ganesha, then the Sandhi Puja is performed at the ausipocious hour.
Maha Oshtomi Puja
The thiord day is the Maha Oshtomi Puja and a day for vegetarian fare.At the time when Oshtomi tithi ends, Nobomi tithi begins; aartiu is performed and a hundred lamps are lighted.In the evening , a kanya(a young girl) symbolising the goddess, is worshipped.This ritul is called kuari puja.
Nobomi Puja
finally , the day of Navmi arrives which is the last night for the Mother Goddess to stay in her father's home.A haven is performed on this day, marking the completion of the puja.
Doshomi Puja
The next day, the day of Doshami , Goddess Durga goes back to her husband's house.People bid a tearful farewell to her and worship her with candles, fruits and garments.On this day, the immersion ceremony is performed.
A Puja is performed in the morning.The earthen vessel before the idol is Shaken by the priest , marking the ends of the festival.Then the priest goes around the idol a few times after which a ritul is performed by the women know as the sghidur khesia and Debir Boron.Married women apply vermilion on the face of the idol with betel leaves to bid farewell and seek blessings for happiness and prosperity.
After this, they break into revelry by appliying vermilion on one another's forehead and greet everyone saying 'Shubha bijoya'.
The idols are then cerried to the ganga and, to the accompaniment of music, immersed in the waters.Women accompany the procession joyfully.Singing and dancing.
Durga Puja Pictures
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