THE POWER OF THE MOTHER GODDESS IS PERHAPS GREATER than that of any other god. She is even worshipped by all the gods themselves. She is Shakti - the power of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. She takes the form of their consorts, without whom, none of the gods can achieve anything. She is worshipped all over India with the same ardour under different names and manifestations - the most benign face of the goddess is Durga. Durga puja is performed twice in a year - for nine days each time - once at the beginning of summer, some time in March or April, and again at the beginning of winter, some time in September or October. In summer, the month according to the Hindu calendar when Durga puja is performed is Chait.

The festival is celebrated during the moonlit fortnight of the month, the first day being Parva. Chait Devi puja is done for eight days, the ninth day being Ram Navami. In winter, the month of celebration is Kartik and, again, the puja starts on Parva of the moonlit fortnight. During Kartik the puja goes on for nine days and the tenth day is Dussehra.The Hindu month is marked by fifteen days of a waxing moon and fifteen days of a waning moon, thus comprising thirty days. The name given to each day, or Tith as it is called, is the same during both the periods, but the moonlit period is known as Sukul Paksh, and the dark period is known as Krishna Paksh. The time scheduled for Durga puja on both the occasions is nine days during the moonlit fortnight, and these are known as Navratris.

The puja during Chait is mostly observed as a private, homely affair, but the one heralding the winter is celebrated with great pomp and show, especially in Bengal, from where it has spread to all parts of India.

During the Kartik festival, huge pandals (tents) are erected and beautifully decorated with images of Durga ma in her many moods. In each locality, almost everyone contributes towards the event and every evening kirtans and bhajans are sung in every pandal. Making of the images or idols of Durga Ma is an art in itself and bring forth the best in the craftmen. They start the process many weeks prior to the festival and really try to outdo each other in their skill. Clothes and jewellery of the images or idols are magnificent as the images are larger than life and can be seen from afar. On seeing the decorated idol, one automatically bows one's head and does namaskar and the children seeing the elders bowing so humbly before the image, also develop a feeling of faith and goodness, which are very essential for a human being. Now let us leave the public celebration to those who can arrange such affairs. Let us instead concentrate on the celebrations at home.

On the first day of the puja, the puja room is thoroughly cleaned, silver and brass items are polished, all images made of metal cleaned likewise, and new clothes like lehanga and chunni with gota and kinari (made earlier) are draped on the image of the goddess and the other deities like Ganesh, who is to be worshipped before any other god.

All other deities should also be freshly dressed, and old covers of the puja table removed and new ones used in their place.Everyone who performs the puja must bathe in the morning. Some like to fast, but it is not compulsory and, in any case, phalar is allowed once a day and liquids can be taken any time.Some persons observe the fast only on the first day and the last day, but some even observe it for the full nine days. During the day, puja can normally be done only by the women as the men and children would have gone to their places of work and schools, respectively. The day puja is shorter in duration as compared to the evening puja. The prasad distributed in the morning can be some elaichidana (cardamom seeds) only. The worship of the deity is done by sprinkling water, aipun, roli, rice and flowers as in all pujas. The bhog sung while offering prasad to the goddess is given at the end of this chapter.

A story is narrated each day, to whosoever is present during puja time. Basically, four main stories exist, which are repeated to fill the nine-day period. During the morning puja, when one is alone with just a few members of the family, the arti sung is a shorter one, whereas in the evening, the longer arti, namely, 'Jai Ambe Gauri…', should be sung. The arti is sung at the end of the puja, but before it begins, everyone is given some flowers or rice to hold in their hands. The youngest member of the family is given the puja bell and keeps ringing it throughout the arti. If any one possesses the breath capacity , a conch shell can also be sounded. The sound effect of everything together is so good, that most children remember it right up to their old age as one of the most pleasant and unifying experiences of their lives. After lighting the camphor and reciting the Sanskrit couplet

Karpur gauram, karuna astharam
sansar sarum, bhuj gendra haaram,
sada vasantam, hriday arvinde,
bhawan Bhawani, sahitam namami everyone showers flowers or rice on Durga Ma, chanting together: Sada Bhawani dahiney, sanmukh rahen Ganesh,
Panchon Dev raksha Karen, Brahma,
Vishnu, Mahesh, Bolo atal chhattra ki jai. The head of the house then takes a little water from the puja lota, and sprinkles it on all gathered with everyone chanting again: 'Chittan para neer ka, dukh gaya sharer ka'.

The much awaited prasad, consiting of puri, black chana (fried in a very little oil with just a small quantity of salt) and a sweet, like jalebi or halwa, is distributed to everyone. If, however, one does not like to make too many items, halwa and chana will suffice. To add some excitement to the occasion a little money is given along with the prasad to the children. This puja is done every day for eight days, commencing from the first day (Parva) to the eighth day (Ashtami), but in some households, the puja is also perfomed on the ninth day. Most of the people like to fast on Ashtami, even if they do not fast on any other day, but of course, as in all Hindu fasts, one can consume food without cereals in the afternoon.

Little girls are regarded as a form of Durga Devi (devi ka roop) as they are supposed to be pure and innocent. Little boys are regarded as the 'roop of langooras', supposed to be the servers of the Devi in her celestial abode. They are invited for lunch on Ashtami and can turn up in any number, but must be under twelve years of age. Usually, the household children do not sit for the bhoj (feast), but it is not a rule. The prasad that is served as lunch consists of puri, potatoes, ladies' fingers, sweet gourd, colocasia (arvi) and radish - grated radish mixed with a little salt and chilli powder is greatly relished. Sweet curd and sliced ginger, marinated with lime, are also much appreciated. No item should contain onion or garlic. In the plate of every girl, two small rolls of mehndi and a string of kalava are placed along with some cash according to one's desire. Sometimes garments or even a length of material (cloth) are given to both the girls and the boys.Some prefer giving a utensil, or the plate which the child has used for eating. In fact, anything can be given in the name of Durga Ma. In inviting the children one symbolically invites the goddess herself. Generally, only girls are invited and boys feel very sorry for themselves and tend to quarrel with their sisters.
Before serving the food to the little ones, the elders performing the puja wash the little one's feet, and welcome them by serving with their own hands. When the children finish eating, the elders touch their feet and bid them farewell.

Those who worship the Mother Goddess as their chief deity sometimes go in for what is known as a bhandara. This means that a lot of little girls and boys are invited (forty or even hundred in nuber) and a big lunch is arranged, with catering done by a halwai. Something substantial is given to the kanyas (little girls) and to the langooras. The gifts can be given in the form of jewellery as well. These bhandaras are very common in North India, and can even be arranged in temples where catering facilities are available.

Durga puja as celebrated in Bengal is during Sarat or autumn, between September and October.Though Durga as Annapurna is also celebrated in Basant, it is the former that has come to stay. It is said that although Lord Ram had invoked Ma Durga during this time, it was considered untimely and was therefore known as akal bodhan. Perhaps the pleasant climate, marked by clear blue skies after the rainy season, came to be deemed more suitable for this great festival of Bengal.Durga puja is a nine-day celebration starting from the day after Mahalaya which is on the last day of the waning moon or new moon of Sarat (Amavas) in September-October sometime.

On Mahalaya radio and television broadcast Ma's agamoni or arrival to the accompaniment of songs, narrating the story of Durga who was created by the gods to fight the asuras or demons. The story reinforces the concept of the triumph of good over evil.

On the sixth day or sashthi, the images of Durga, along with her four children, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartikeya (regarded as her children in Bengal) are installed in the various puja pandals erected for the festival in the state and outside it. For Bengalis, the advent of the goddess Durga assumes a special significance for it is believed that Ma Durga as a daughter, along with her children, comes visiting her mother during these four days from her icy abode in Kailash in the Himalayas, where she lives with her consort Shiv. Every year, legend has it, she comes in a special transport - the boat - because there are floods in the eastern parts of India.

Durga puja has become as much a social event as it is a religious one. It is unique in the sense that the entire community pays homage to Ma Durga in the different community pujas that are held. Only a handful of households, mostly with zamindari backgrounds, celebrate the festival at home.

The main function begins on Sasthi - the unofficial first day of the Durga pujas - when the priest does a sort of puja which is bodhan, whereby the deity is unveiled. Women keep urat for the welfare of their families; the fast is broken by partaking of fruits and food products made from maida (flour). Usually the whole family conforms to the traditional routine on that day and meals are of lunchis/puris and sabji.

The rest of the pujas are organized on a mass scale at the puja pandal; the expenses are taken care of through subscriptions. There is little an individual need do besides being present at the actual puja which is during the evening. On Mahapanchami the koladau (the wife of Ganesh made from the banana plant) is installed. The origin of this practice can be traced to the agrarian society of Bengal.

On Mahaashtami day, people offer anjali to the goddess and a priest chants mantras over the loudspeaker; on this day young girls have kumari puja performed on them and they are presented with red saris, bangles and money. Vegetarian food is eaten on this day, especially in homes that are Vaishnavite. The worshippers of Kali or those known as Shaktas, however, eat meat. A special bhuni khichri is made on this day. Luchis with a vegetable preparation known as chhokka followed by payesh comprises dinner. Anjali is offered during a certain time in the morning. Many take this opportunity to offer a dela to the goddess which consists of five different seasonal fruits, mishti (sweet) and sometimes a red-bordered sari. In the evening, arti is performed when the priest breathes life into the idols by reciting special slokas. Many watch this spectacular ritual where the drumbeats, and the sound of cymbals and dancing accompany, dhoop and dhuns, in front of the goddess.On Mahanavami, meat is eaten as part of great feasting and friends and relatives meet. A mutton preparation, cooked without garlic and onions, is a great favourite among many.

The last day coincides with Dussehra. Idols are taken away in large processions for immersion in water. Before Ma leaves, married women of all age groups visit the nearby pandal to take part in an emotional ritual where vermilion (sindhoor khela), is applied to the parting of each other's hair. The loha (the metal and gold bracelet given to the bride by the mother-in-law) and pala/sannbha (the red and white bangles worn by many married Bengali women) are also touched up. Sindhoor is applied by the women and the priest on the forehead of the goddess.

A mother-in-law gives an iron bangle interlaced with gold or silver to a new bride as the first gift, a token of suhag, which the daughter-in-law wears all her life. During Durga puja, when idols are being taken away for immersion, sindhoor is taken from in front of th idols and applied to the parting in the hair by married women. What isleft on the fingers is applied to this iron and gold (silver) bangle, and is known as touching the loha.

The ritual of applying sindoor can also take place at home when Bijoya Dashami is celebrated with family members. The younger members do pronam (touching the feet) to the elders while the men do kolakuli (embrace). Sweets are prepared at home but today most make do with sweets brought from the market. Savouries like nimki are often made at home to be distributed to friends, relatives and well-wishers.

On all these days of the puja, it is advisable to wake up early, and bathe and wear fresh clothes. Most of the time the clothes are new as clothes and gifts are exchanged during this time. The children must have new outfits each day. In many homes, the cooking of meals comes to a standstill as food is available on a small scale in the pandals. Rich households always have meals organized for the poor.

On Durga puja, the goddess Durga is worshipped first; Saraswati and Lakshmi are not worshipped individually as such. On Diwali, which comes about twenty days after Dussehra the Bengalis of East Bengali origin worship the goddess Lakshmi. Othewise Kali, who is another roop of Durga is worshipped - again through the community pujas.

STORIES RELATED TO DURGA PUJA

The stories included here are, for some reason, only told during the morning puja - perhaps because the men being regarded as 'serioos minded and intelligent' need not listen to childish and silly stories! These stories were mainly meant for the superstitious women and kids left at home. In days gone by, some children did not attend school till quite late,and, in any case, most of the girls did not attend school at all. If they did, they dropped out very early. In fact, in joint families, there were always many who just 'stayed at home'. It was usual in such families that one person earned, becoming the pride of the household, while the rest just loitered around the house. They were all accepted, married off, and had children.There was no such concept as getting a job before getting married. Life was much more easy and less complicated. So, for our morning puja, there were plenty of people around! So, here begin the stories!