Durga Puja 2023 – Durga puja with Kolkata Tales
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India
is a country of festivals, especially in Bengal, where the saying “Twelve
Months with Thirteen Parbo” is a familiar theme.
A
city rich in culture and heritage is Kolkata, the erstwhile capital of India.
For more than a century, Durga Puja,
the largest celebration in the area, has been held in Kolkata, the centre of
Bengali culture. The event lasts 10 days and begins in the Ashwin month of the
Bengali calendar. During the event, people from every walk of life gather together
to commemorate the win of good over evil, symbolised by the Goddess Durga.
People
can enjoy a blissful celebration of their traditions and cultures at this time.
Despite being observed worldwide, Kolkata is where this festival truly shines,
with a unique charm. The splendour of Durga puja in the “City of Joy”
draws tourists worldwide, who make special trips to see it.
Keep
reading this till the end to know more about Durga puja. And Durga puja with Kolkatatales can help
you.
How Durga puja is celebrated
in Kolkata?
Kolkata
celebrates Durga Puja with great
enthusiasm and careful planning. Organisers begin making plans for the big
event months in advance of the celebrations actually starting. Extensive
pandals (temporary buildings) are built, each with a distinctive theme
frequently influenced by mythology, social concerns, or current events.
Artisans and craftsmen put in endless labour to make stunning and breathtaking
statues of Goddess Durga and her companions. These idols are a feast for the eyes
since they are frequently decorated with elaborate jewellery and attire. There
are over 4000 pandals of Maa Durga every year. Over 4 lakh people visit every
day to these pandals to have the darshan of Maa Durga.
Beautifully
ornamented pandals and idols are placed across the city, transforming it into a
paradise of lights and hues. In order to heighten the festive mood, cultural
acts, such as music, dance, and the stage, are held throughout the city. The
aroma of burning incense, the sound of ethnic music, and the chatter of
celebrations fill the streets.
Kolkata tales will provide you full
information on Durga Puja, so that you get complete knowledge.
What is the Durga puja
carnival?
A
new addition to the celebrations, the Durga Puja Carnival is one of the
highlights of Durga Puja in Kolkata. The carnival is a magnificent procession
that features some of the most exquisitely made idols from various pandals. The
initiative has enhanced the festival’s cultural value while also bringing
together the most extraordinary creative talent. People can witness the
artistry and craft that go into creating idols and pandals at the carnival.
These
magnificent idols are paraded throughout the carnival on delicately ornamented
floats. Both people of Kolkata and visitors get the opportunity to experience
the splendour of the festival, and it offers a stage for designers and artisans
to demonstrate their abilities to a larger audience. The carnival now serves as
a metaphor for the city’s multiculturalism and sense of community that Durga
Puja promotes.
A brief history of
Kolkata in relation to Durga puja
Since
the late 16th century, there has been a connection between Kolkata and Durga
Puja. It is said that the first Durga Puja was held in the area by the Sabarna
Roy Choudhury family in Barisha. This festival has become more complicated and
large-scale over time. But Durga Puja didn’t become the huge event we know it
to be until the British colonial era.
At
their ancestral home in Barisha, Kolkata, the Sabarna Roy Choudhury family has
been hosting Durga Puja since 1610. This Durga Puja event is perhaps the oldest
in Kolkata. At Shobhabazar Rajbari, Durga Puja was first performed in 1757 by
Nabakrishna Dev.
Early
in the 20th century, Barowari Durga Puja had its start in Kolkata. In Kolkata,
Barwari Durga Puja swiftly spread to become a popular celebration. Durga Puja
was formerly only celebrated by wealthy people in Kolkata. The
“Bhowanipore Sanatan Dharmatsahini Sabha” held the inaugural Barowari
Durga Puja in Kolkata in 1910 on Balram Basu Ghat Road in Bhowanipore.
The
celebration developed into a phenomenon in culture that both upheld tradition
and modified itself to fit the present.
The Vibes of Durga Puja
(From Mahalaya to Dashami)
Durga Puja Rituals
Mahalaya
The
‘Devi Paksha’ begins in Mahalaya, while the ‘Pitru-Paksha’ ends at Mahalaya.
Goddess
Durga only spends four days on Earth, but Mahalaya begins seven days before the
puja.
On
the day of the new moon in the Hindu month of Ashwin (September–October),
Mahalaya is celebrated.
The Day of the Goddess
Durga’s Painted Eyes is called Chokku Daan.
Kolkata’s
distinctive Durga Puja rites are available for viewing. The Maa Durga idols are
prepared by colouring everything except the eyes one week before the beginning
of Navratri.
The
Goddess is welcoming to the earth on the occasion of Mahalaya. Chokku Daan, an
auspicious ceremony, is performed on this day in accordance with procedures.
Maha Sashti (6th Day
of Navratri)
The
first day of Durga Puja in Kolkata is on the sixth day of Navratri. These
exquisitely decorated idols are taken home or set up in the shape of
beautifully decorated public pandals.
The
idol is then decorated in front of the Goddess with flowers, clothing,
jewellery, red vermilion, and a variety of sweets.
Rituals
are performed in honour of Goddess Katyayani on Navratri Day 6. To combat
stress, anxiety, and mental health issues, people worship the Goddess
Katyayani.
Maa
Katyayani, according to mythology, is Maa Durga’s aggressive form.
Maha Saptami(Kola Bow
or Nabapatrika)
Rituals
are performed in honour of Goddess Kalaratri on Navratri Day 7. As part of the
celebrations, several cultural events take place. The performing of plays,
songs, dances, and other traditional acts brings people together.
Maha Ashtami
The
peak of the ceremonies takes place on Mahashtami, which is the eighth day of
the festival. According to mythology, of the 10 days, Ashtami Pushpanjali is
the most auspicious. On the eighth day of Navratri, worship is offered to
Goddess Maha Gouri.
Maha Navami
The
ninth day of the celebrations is Mahanavami, which is once more celebrated with
excitement. On this day, worshippers can worship Maa Durga, have all their
desires come true, and bring joy and wealth into the home. Goddess Siddhidatri
is worshipped on the ninth day of Navratri.
Dashami
The
festival’s last day, Bijoya Dashami, is distinguished by a powerful display of
emotion as the celebration comes to an end. Sindoor Khela, or the application
of vermillion to one another’s faces to celebrate femininity, is a tradition
practised by married women on the morning of Bijoya Dashami. By afternoon,
preparations are completed for the idols’ immersion.
Durga Puja 2023 dates
Here
are some important dates for Durga Puja
2023.
Mahalaya
– 14th October, 2023
Maha
Panchami – 19th October, 2023
Maha
Shashthi – 20th October, 2023
Maha
Saptami – 21st October, 2023
Maha
Ashtami – 22nd October, 2023
Why is Durga puja so
special to Bengalis?
Bengalis
have a particular place in their hearts for Durga Puja because of its profound
cultural importance. It’s a celebration of art, music, dancing, community, and
a religious occasion. The celebration unites young and elderly in their
commitment and enjoyment, bridging generational divides. Durga Puja serves as a sentimental bridge for Bengalis who have
left their own state and a chance to reconnect with their cultural roots.
Regardless
of caste, creed, or social standing, the entire community gathers to celebrate
at this time. People from diverse backgrounds gather in the pandals to pray and
celebrate, displaying this unity. Durga Puja is a wonderful event for both
locals and visitors since it amplifies the warmth and friendliness that Kolkata
is known for.
Must do things during
Durga puja
Pandal Visiting
Any
time of day or night, Durga Puja is incomplete without pandal hopping.
Getting into your
traditional clothes
Sarees
for ladies and dhoti-kurtas for men perfectly capture the importance of wearing
traditional attire during Durga Puja. Men can choose from a range of vibrant
kurtas, while women must wear white sarees with gorgeous crimson borders on
Ashtami.
Exploring Local Foods
and Cuisine
In
Kolkata, the festival of Durga Puja is not complete without delicious local
foods. In order to properly celebrate Durga Puja, you must taste these 15
Bengali dishes:
- Mishti
Pulao - Niramish
Aloor Dum - Puchka
- Jhal
Muri - Sandesh
- Rosogolla
- Luchi
and Aloo Dum - Kosha
Mangsho - Cholar
Dal - Shukto
- Alur
Torkari - Bhetki
Paturi - Bhapa
Ilish - Macher
Jhol - Chingri
Malai Curry
Taking part in a
variety of cultural events
Check
out the numerous Durga Puja rituals and celebrations at important puja pandals.
Most communities have their own theatrical, dance, and music productions, as
well as celebrity performances.
Being present during
the Visarjan ceremony
The
VisarjanCeremony, during which people gather and sing and dance until the
Goddess is submerged in the holy water of river Hoogly, marks the conclusion of
Durga Puja. This is called bhasan, and during it, people typically have a great
time dancing to popular music while throwing colour at one another in the
streets.
What is Durga puja to
the new generation vs the old generation?
As
times and viewpoints changed over time, Durga Puja changed as well. The
festival conjures fond memories for the older generation and enduring
traditions. They value tradition, social gatherings, and cultural events that
have shaped their way of life for many years. The elder generation frequently
emphasises the festival’s spiritual component, which emphasises its
conventional rituals and prayers.
The
younger generation, however, embraces Durga Puja with a mix of devotion and
modernity. The artistic talent and originality that go into the idols and
pandal designs are valued by them. Numerous of them take part in performances
and cultural events regularly, and some even volunteer for different festival
activities.
There
is no denying that the Durga Puja in Kolkata is visually pleasing. As in past
years, the celebrations will be the main attractions of Durga Puja 2023. Plan a vacation to Kolkata immediately to
participate in the excitement and celebrations.
Keep
reading Kolkata tales to get more
exciting things about Kolkata.
