"Festival of Durga" or
Sharadotsav is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the
Hindu goddess
Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as
Mahalaya,
Shashthi,
Maha Saptami,
Maha Ashtami,
Maha Nabamiand
Vijayadashami. The dates of Durga Puja celebrations are set according to the traditional
Hindu calendar and the fortnight corresponding to the festival is called
Devi Paksha, "Fortnight of the Goddess").
Devi Paksha is preceded by
Mahalaya, the last day of the previous fortnight
Pitri Paksha, "Fortnight of the Forefathers"), and is ended on
Kojagori Lokkhi Puja ("Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon Night").
Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon
Mahishasura. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomises the victory of Good over Evil.
Durga Puja is widely celebrated in the Indian states of
Assam,
Bihar,
Jharkhand,
Manipur,
Odisha,
Tripura and
West Bengal, where it is a five-day annual holiday.
[3] In West Bengal and Tripura, which has a majority of
Bengali Hindus, it is the biggest festival of the year. Not only is it the biggest Hindu festival celebrated throughout the state, it is also the most significant socio-cultural event in Bengali Hindu society. Apart from eastern India, Durga Puja is also celebrated in
Delhi,
Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra,
Gujarat,
Punjab,
Kashmir,
Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka and
Kerala. Durga Puja is also celebrated as a major festival in
Nepal where 91% is
Hindu. It is also celebrated in
Bangladesh where the 8% population is
Hindu. Nowadays, many diaspora Bengali cultural organisations arrange for Durgotsab in countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Singapore and Kuwait, among others. In 2006, a grand Durga Puja ceremony was held in the
Great Court of the
British Museum.
[4]
The prominence of Durga Puja increased gradually during the
British Raj in Bengal.
[5] After the Hindu reformists identified Durga with India, she became an icon for the
Indian independence movement. In the first quarter of the 20th century, the tradition of
Baroyari or Community Puja was popularised due to this. After independence, Durga Puja became one of the largest celebrated festivals in the whole world. It is also the largest open Air Art Exhibition in the World.
Durga Puja also includes the worship of
Shiva, who is Durga's consort (Durga is an aspect of Goddess
Parvati), in addition to
Lakshmi,
Saraswati with
Ganesha and
Kartikeya, who are considered to be Durga's children.
[6] Worship of
mother nature is done, through nine types of plant (called "
Kala Bou"), including a plantain (banana) tree, which represent nine divine forms of Goddess Durga.
[7] Modern traditions have come to include the display of decorated
pandals and artistically depicted sculptures (
murti) of Durga, exchange of
Vijaya greetings and publication of Puja Annuals.
Long time readers know that there is close to nothing that I enjoy more than a good White House State Dinner - search around the k+b for some coverage of State Dinners past...
So, when is a State Dinner NOT a State Dinner ?
When its Durga Puja - and the President of India, who is an Orthodox Hindu is visiting during the holiday which requires its followers to fast for the nine days of the holiday.. ( is Orthodox Hindu even a phrase that is used ? )
While President Modi only had warm water, President Obama and guests had :
more later if I can find some pics
