Durgotsav – Rituals and Auspicious Time for Worship!

Durga Puja Festival is celebrated widely during the last five days of the most pious event of NavRatre. Nowadays it is celebrated internationally by the Bengali people spread worldwide.
It is one of the most awaited festivals for the people of Bengali community across the globe and is celebrated with full fervor and zeal. This year the auspicious event of Durga Puja will start from Wednesday, 27 September 2017 and end on Saturday, 30 September 2017.

On 27th September evening, the very first day of Durga Puja, the ritual of inviting the Goddess is performed at the Puja Pandal or the sacred place at home where the puja will take place. This ritual is referred to as Bodhon. This is one of the most significant rituals for the Puja.

Another most important ritual of the Durga Puja is the Nav Patrika Pravesh, which is conducted on the morning of Saptami tithi and Maha Saptami Puja will be performed with full faith and devotion.

Maha Ashtami Puja will be performed on the next day, 28th September. On this day, after Maha Ashtami Puja, Balidaan is offered to the Goddess Durga Mata with full faith and much enthusiasm.

After Maha Ashtami and Balidaan, Sandhi Puja will be conducted in the most auspicious time that falls between 19.07 pm and 19.55 pm of 28th September, i.e., during the most auspicious meeting point of the Ashtami and Navami tithi.

On the last day of Durga Puja, the 30 of September, in the morning of the Dashami tithi, after performing the final puja of Dashami, married women flock together observe the ‘Sindoor Khela’ ritual by applying vermillion (Sindoor) on the face and forehead of each other, to mark the final day of the Durga Puja. This ceremony is considered to be a very unique part of the festival. After the ‘Sindoor Khela’ ritual, Dashami will be celebrated in a grand way with full devotion and enthusiasm. In the evening, the idol of the Goddess is being carried from the Pandal to the nearby river or pond for Visarjan. After the Idols have been immersed, people greet each other to welcome the Vijaya Dashami with new hopes. Young members of the family touch the feet of elders to seek their blessings and senior people greet them by hugging them and offering sweets and home made delicious food items.

During the all four days of this festival, Sandhya Aarti is being performed with much zeal and enthusiasm. It fills the atmosphere with devotional ambience. People flock in their best attire, fully decorated with ornaments and accessories to witness this unique event of joy and to have a glimpse of the idols of Maa Durga made in different styles in a very artistic and innovative way. They make an effort to visit as many pandals as possible during the Durga Puja celebration. It is a major socio-religious event that creates livelihood for several thousands of people of the entire community.

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