Celebrating Durga Puja

The Mahalaya brings the ritual of drawing Eyes of Durga. This also signals the beginning of the festivities and Debi-Pakkha. The sixth day from new moon is called Shasthi, and on this day, the main Durga Puja begins. On Saptami, that is the seventh day from the new moon, the ritual of Bodhon starts. This is a very intricate ritual in which the Image of Durga is infused with "Pran" or "life form".

The process starts early in the morning when the devotees bring in the Kola Bau, or a banana plant, bathed and draped in a yellow saree. This is made to resemble a newly wed bride. The Kola Bau is brought in the form of Pran to the Image of Durga in order to infuse the image with the Pran. Ashtami, or the eighth day after new moon is universally accepted as the day when Durga killed Mahishasura. On this day, the celebrations begin to draw to a close. The juncture of time between the eighth day and the ninth day, that is ashtami and navami, is called Sandhikkhan. The beginning of Sandhikkhan marks the beginning of a new dawn when the tyrant demon was killed by goddess Durga. On the day of Navami, Maha Arti is conducted in the evening. All these festivities see the real culmination with the visarjan or immersion of the idol of Durga into the sea. This is symbolic of Devi Durga retiring after mahishasur mardan, and the people bid a tearful farewell to the goddess. A new era begins, a new year begins with people's hopes again looking for the miracle of Maa Durga vanquishing Mahishasur