Story behind Durga Puja
In the true Bengali tradition where the goddess is welcomed more as a member of the family visiting her parents for the five days of autumn with her four children, we celebrate her second visit to Christchurch in October.
Before he set off for his battle with Ravana, Ramchandra worshipped Durga, who in her divine power, symbolises the victory of good over evil. Mythology has it, that Mahisasur over years of worshipping Brahma was blessed with a boon that no power on heaven or earth could kill him.
The demon then started a reign of terror in earth and heaven assaulting the Gods whereby the Gods in despair, approached the Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwar. The trinity together created the Goddess with Eternal power. With three eyes, ten hands each carrying a celestial weapon, she would be the ultimate SHAKTI that rid the heaven and earth of this fierce demon.
The first recorded Durga Puja was celebrated in the 1500s. Between the 1500s and 1600s, Durga puja remained the privilege of Rajas and the well to do until in 1790 twelve friends got together, collected contributions from local residents to perform what we know today as community Durga puja. Baroari durga puja as it is known comes from “baro’(or barah, twelve). Yar is friends. The ever sweet-toothed Bengalee with rosogolla in the mouth tends to make “o” of all the “a”s
So, what is Durga puja mean to a Bengali?
So, what does Durga puja mean to a Bengali?
Apart from the ritualistic performances, this mega social event draws people of all races and creed to the puja venue, known as the pandal in Bengal, over a period of three long days and might I mention, around the clock, to a marathon adda session which only a Bengali knows how; the adda being interspersed with irresistible food. The crowd, the food, and the aesthetic and artistic talent at display in the pandals is incomparable and arguably the most unique in the world.
For those of us who are not acquainted with Dhunuchi naach, Dhunuchi is an incense burner with a cavity on top and with a stem handle that has a grip at the bottom, much like a Margherita or cocktail glass. The cavity at the top holds cakes of burners covered by slow-burning coconut fiber, with incense sprinkled on top. Dhunuchi is essentially accompanied by Dhak, a percussion. Durga puja assumes the festive aura with the beating of the dhaks by dhakis, the players whose skills have been passed on for generations. Here in Christchurch, we have to make do with recordings.My dream is that someday we might acquire one
Traditionally the final day of the puja is the “send off” for Maa Durga. Here in Chch we observe this ritual of “devi baran” the day after the actual pujo. Married women would smear Sindoor (vermillion) on the feet of the deity, offer sweets and bid good bye, “Aschey bochor abar esho ma” until next time.
All the married women would then engage in the ritual called sindur khela(vermillion game).The name speaks for itself and it is a khela that could reach the proportions of HOLI( the Indian spring festival) at times. The origin or the vintage of this tradition is not exactly known but lets assume it was somewhere between 200 and 400 years ago. Through this ritual the Bengali women wish happy married lives for each other.