About Durga Puja

Durga Puja is the biggest festival of Hindus in Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Bangladesh, and of Bengali Hindus all over the world. It is also called Akalbodhan, Vijaya Dashami, Dashain, and Dussehra.
The actual period of the worship however may be over the preceding nine days Navaratri or five days (Sasthi, Saptami, Asthami, Nabami & Vijaya Dashami) -

The worship of Durga in the autumn (Shôrot) is the year's largest Hindu festival of Bengal. Durga Puja is also celebrated in Nepal and Bhutan according to local traditions and variations. Puja means "worship," and Durga's Puja is celebrated from the sixth to tenth day of the waxing moon in the month of Ashwin (Ashshin), which is the sixth month in the Bengali calendar. Occasionally however, due to shifts in the lunar cycle relative to the solar months, it may also be held in the following month, Kartika (Kartik). In the Gregorian calendar, these dates correspond to the months of September and October.

In the Krittibas Ramayana, Rama invokes the goddess Durga in his battle against Ravana. Although she was traditionally worshipped in the spring, due to contingencies of battle, Rama had to invoke her in the autumn akaal bodhan. Today it is this Rama's date for the puja that has gained ascendancy, although the spring puja, known as Basanti Puja, is also present in the Hindu almanac. Since the season of the puja is Shôrot autumn, it is also known as Shôrodia.

The pujas are held over a ten-day period, which is traditionally viewed as the coming of the married daughter, Durga, to her father, Himalaya's home. It is the most important festival in Bengal, and Bengalis celebrate with new clothes and other gifts, which are worn on the evenings when the family goes out to see the 'pandals' (temporary structures set up to venerate the goddess). Although it is a Hindu festival, religion takes a backseat on these five days: Durga Puja in Bengal is a carnival, where people from all backgrounds, regardless of their religious beliefs, participate and enjoy themselves to the hilt.
Durga Puja 2007 was held from 17 October, 2007 to 21 October 2007. Durga Puja 2008 will be from 5 October 2008 (shaShTi) to 9 October 2008 (dashamI).

WriteUp: From Wikipedia

Related WebPages: www.durga-puja.org
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durga_Puja
                                    www.bangalinet.com/durgapuja.htm
                                                www.123durgapuja.com

 

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DOWNLOAD PUJA PROGRAMMES 2008

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DOWNLOAD INVITATION CARD 2008

 

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Download Map and Detailed Directions to the Pujas

 

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