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Significance of Durga Puja
Hindus all over the world celebrate Durga Puja festival in October every year. It is the most important religious and cultural festival in India. It falls on 6th day to 10th day of the full moon in the month of September/October and will be celebrated from 15th October to 19th October in this year. Since the period falls in Sharatkal (Autumn), it is known as Sharadia Festival. The festival actually starts in the new-moon - the Mahalaya with chanting of 700 rhymes taken from ‘Sri Sri Chandi’. In India, holiday is given in schools, colleges and offices during this period. The puja places are well decorated by flowers, lights and colorful curtains. The well decorated statue of the goddess Durga is placed in the puja places after five/six days of the new moon and stay there up to the 10th day. Every day she is worshiped by priest with sounds of conch shell, bell and drums in presence of the devotees. After the worship, the devotees offer flowers on the feet of the goddess chanting holy rhymes. Between 8th and 9th day, 50 minutes time is allotted for special worship -popularly known as Sandhi puja. It starts and ends with the exploding sound of the crackers. Wearing new dresses and shoes, people go from one puja place to the other to see the colored statue of the goddess and enjoy the decorated puja places and magic of light.
It is believed that the goddess Durga is the symbol of fortune. She came down to the earth from the heaven to give away wealth and fortune to her followers. She is accompanied by her two sons- Ganesh and Kartic and two daughters- Lakshmi and Saraswati. Once Demon Mahishasur and his followers ruled the earth and tortured the common people. He was very powerful, cruel and invincible. He was a symbol of evil power. The gods of the heaven tried to defeat him in war but in vain. The heroes like Indra, Barun etc. were defeated by the commanders of Mahishasur. Finally, In the instruction of Lord Vishnu, the gods of the heaven gave away their powers and glamours to form a female deity having ten hands and three eyes. They empowered the ten hands of the deity with their weapons- conch shell, wheel, arrow, sword etc. and the deity became a handsome, powerful, invincible lady-named as goddess Durga. Riding on a lion, She then attacked the kingdom of demon Mahishsur defeating and killing the soldiers and commanders of the dynasty. Finally, she fought with the demon and defeated but not completely killed. The demon lost his kingdom, became powerless,surrendered and lies on the feet of the goddess. Thus good power of the goddess dominated over the evil power of the demons. She is an embodiment of good spirit. She gave a message to the people that the the evils ultimately ruins and the well spirit ultimately prevails. Her followers prayed to Her Holiness for good health, winning spirit and fortune.
“Roopang Dehi Jayang Dehi, Josho Dehi, Disho Jahi”
On the last day, the statue is immersed in rivers or lakes with deep grief and sorrow expecting the return of the worship in the next year. Sweets are distributed and blessings, loves and affection are exchanged and shared among the people. This is not just a Hindu festival. People of all religion and faith take part actively in this social and cultural meet. It is an occasion where people take oath for the survival of the good spirit defeating all evil forces within them.