Joy Ma Durga
When the scents of shiuli fill the air and kaash sway with mirth, its time to celebrate Durga Puja. Pujor Gandho can be felt in Durga Puja when sky is blue in color and happiness fills the heart of devotees of Ma. New clothes, decors, pujobarshiki and pujor gaan adds to the fun of the festival.
For Bengalis, Durga Puja is the biggest and the most important festival of all. In fact Bengalis become a cheerful lot with the onset of Sharat, a month in the Bengali calendar in which Durga Puja is celebrated. This is the month Ashwin according to Hindu calendar.
Dhaak beats and so does our hearts. Younger ones of the family are exalted and why shouldn't they be? They get days off from school to celebrate the Puja and then even the elders do not pester them to study at home. Sisters, kakimas, boudi didis all get busy selecting saris and jewellery for the festive occasion. Even the dadas, kakas and mamas aren't far behind when it comes to dressing up for the grand Puja festival. For, Durga Puja is the time to look good and feel great.
People wait for Durga Puja to gorge a variety of traditional delicacies. Hop into pandals and receive the glance of the pujo sundaris of para pandals. Its also the time to stretch adda sessions way beyond midnight and wake up late with the sounds of dhaak.
So what are you waiting for this year? If you are desperately missing the fun of Pujo in your para or city or in good old Kol all you need to do is to immerse yourself in the spirit of Durga Pujo - the festival of happiness, togetherness and a lot lot more.
Debipokher agomoney Maa er abhirbhav mrinmoyi rupey.
Meaning: With the beginning of Debipokhkho Maa Durga appears on the earth in Her earthly form!
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"The Ten Wisdom Goddesses: Mahavidyas and the Assertion of Femininity in Indian Thought"
There exists in India a group of strange Goddesses, ten in number. One of them is shown holding her own freshly severed head, which feeds on the blood flowing from her headless torso; another holds a pair of scissors while sitting triumphant atop a corpse; a third is depicted as an old and ugly widow riding a chariot decorated with the crow as an emblem. The series continues - an unusual assemblage to say the least.
The story behind their birth is equally interesting and paradoxically of a romantic origin. Once during their numerous love games, things got out of hand between Shiva and Parvati. What had started in jest turned into a serious matter with an incensed Shiva threatening to walk out on Parvati. No amount of coaxing or cajoling by Parvati could reverse matters. Left with no choice, Parvati multiplied herself into ten different forms for each of the ten directions. Thus however hard Shiva might try to escape from his beloved Parvati, he would find her standing as a guardian, guarding all escape routes.
Each of the Devi's manifested forms made Shiva realize essential truths, made him aware of the eternal nature of their mutual love and most significantly established for always in the cannons of Indian thought the Goddess's superiority over her male counterpart. Not that Shiva in any way felt belittled by this awareness, only spiritually awakened. This is true as much for this Great Lord as for us ordinary mortals. Befittingly thus they are referred to as the Great Goddess's of Wisdom, known in Sanskrit as the Mahavidyas (Maha - great; vidya - knowledge). Indeed in the process of spiritual learning the Goddess is the muse who guides and inspires us. She is the high priestess who unfolds the inner truths
The spectrum of these ten goddesses covers the whole range of feminine divinity, encompassing horrific goddess's at one end, to the ravishingly beautiful at the other. These Goddesses are:
1) Kali: the Eternal Night
2) Tara the Compassionate Goddess
3) Shodashi the Goddess who is Sixteen Years Old
4) Bhuvaneshvari the Creator of the World
5) Chinnamasta the Goddess who cuts off her Own Head
6) Bhairavi the Goddess of Decay
7) Dhumawati the Goddess who widows Herself
8) Bagalamukhi the Goddess who seizes the Tongue
9) Matangi the Goddess who Loves Pollution
10) Kamala the Last but Not the Least
Durga - The Slayer Of Mahishasura
Once upon a time there lived a demon (Asura) named Mahisha. He found great happiness in hurting people. Once, he decided to pray to lord Brahma, who he thought would give him a boon, which would make him invincible.
Mahisha performed severe penances praying and fasting for months as he stood on one foot. The three worlds trembled under the strength of his penances and a pleased lord Brahma came to give him a boon. Mahisha asked for immortality, which the lord said he could not have as every creature that was born had to die. Mahisha decided that he would ask for a boon that would make him as good as immortal. He asked that no man should be able to kill and, if he had to die it should be only at the hands of only a woman. He was sure that no woman could ever fight against him however strong she may be.
Now that Mahisha was invincible, he and the other asuras went about hurting and killing everyone on earth and then went on to the heavens to fight the Gods. Even Indra's thunderbolt could not withstand the asura attack. Mahisha drove out the Gods and took over Indra's throne. Mahishasura started harassing all pious people who continued praying to Vishnu or Shiva. The Gods and people were depressed and decided to ask lord Shiva for help. Lord Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma concentrated hard and used their radiant energies, which were joined by the energies from Indra, and the other Gods. This godly energy took the form of a divine lady with thousand arms. In each arm she carried a weapon belonging to all Gods. This was Durga Devi.
She mounted a fiery lion and roared. It was a roar that shook mountains and created huge waves in the seas. Even Mahisha was worried for a second, but his vanity took over when he saw that the terrible form was that of a woman. Durga created a large army from her breath to fight Mahisha's army and then fought with Mahisha who came in the form of a Buffalo. As he struggled to set himself from the Buffalo form she killed him with her sword delivering the earth and heavens of the Burden called Mahishasura.
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Mrityostulyam Trilokeem Graisitumatirasat Nihsrita Kim Nu Jihva Kim Va
Krinshanngri Padm Srinibhiranunita Krishnapadyah Padavya Prapta Sandhya
Smaraih Swayam iti Nuti Bhi Trisra Ityuhyamanaih Devaih
Devyastrulkshtamahis Juso Rakta Dharah Jayanti
[van durgopanisat]
With their hands folded and shoulders drooping as a gesture of absolute submission, Gods gathered around the magnanimous Mother of the Universe after she had relinquished the mighty demon Mahishasura.
Gods were absolutely taken aback as they saw streams of blood gushing out of the levianthon Mahishasura. They could not decide whether it was the all devastating red tongue of Mrityu or death darting out to consume all three lokas or is this the mighty current of Ganges that has turned red by coming in contact with lacre smeared on Lord Krishna's feet. Or is it the sandhya (evening) time and Lord Shiva has himself resumed his routine tandava dance? Glory unto the blood stream gushing out Mahishasura body as he is stabbed by Mother Mahishamardini's trident.
Mahisa took over the stage of world affairs and righteousness, piety and all other human values were on the verge of extinction. All votaries of virtue and righteousness were disintegrated and there was no hope of revival. Mahisa was by nature a furious expression of brutal might, ruthless subjugation and unruly cosmic derangement that conflicting all civic and cultural values. His devastating wrath was incredible. He could empty oceans by hitting them with his tail. Earth would get smashed to bits as he stamped it with his mighty hoofs. His enormous horns would disperse flakes of clouds in the heavens. And merely the force of his hissing would hurl huge mountains into the sky.... He was a living bomb that had explosive power of billions and trillions of kilo tons.
Who could kill him?
Might of all seers and Gods were trifling before Mahishasura. They cried in despair as they were grieving. Ultimately, it was the power of these Gods and Seers that were accumulated and manifestated in the form of a Goddess. Her stature was as magnanimous as the universe. She was pervading the entire universe with her profile. The Goddess carried all weapons belonging to all Gods and demigods. When she twanged her bow the sound filled all quarters and Mahisa was bewildered. "What is this?", he shouted as he dashed towards Jagadambika, the Mother of the Universe to assault her. And the stupendous battle between righteousness and evil started.
It took Her only a while to annihilate all vicious demons who were subservient to Mahisa, the embodiment of evil. Finally She was all set to terminate the buffalo demon. He began to attack from various direction, in innumerable forms. He became a lion, an elephant and then disappeared.
Goddess Durga jumped on him. Her vehicle, the lion, grappled with the mighty demon. She stamped him under her feet and poked her trident straight into his neck ..thus the dread full demon was finished.
Gods rejoiced and as they gathered to felicitate the Divine Mother. They were confused about what they saw in front of them..a massive current of stream of blood flowing from Mahisa's body. They wondered was it death's darting tongue? or Ganga has turned red. Or is it Shiva himself with his dance of devastation during the dusk??
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The word Navaratri means 'nine nights.' During Navaratri, we worship the goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati, in that order for three days each. The most important day is the 10th day, Vijayadashami. The word Vijayadashami means '10th day of victory.' I will tell you the significance of this festival.
We worship goddess Durga because she is shakti - strength. This is meant to help us think about our positive inner selves. We worship goddess Lakshmi because she gives wealth and prosperity. She basically symbolizes positive qualities that are useful for overcoming your negative qualities.
The reason we worship Saraswati is because she is the embodiment of knowledge. For this worship we put our books, musical instruments and anything that gives us knowledge on the platform before god to show our respect for these tools of knowledge.
The main significance of this kind of worship is that you should not let your bad side, or negative side, win. Have self-control using shakti. Then increase you positives by worshipping Lakshmi. Once your positive side wins you can take in knowledge with Saraswathi. Finally, you will become one with god. These are the different stages to attaining Moksha. This festival reminds us of this process.
The ninth day of Navaratri is the Ayudha Puja. This is the day we worship our tools and instruments, and other objects used in daily life because they help us achieve our goals.
On the 10th day, Vijayadashami, we celebrate vijay - victory. Durga killed the evil asura Mahisura which is a destruction of our negative selves. This the day for the learner. You must always think like a beginner, like you still have to learn much more, and only then will you have a mind open to new ideas. This day is good to begin endeavors. Little kids also try to start their education by writing a letter of the alphabet in grains of rice.
On Vijayadashami, I show gratitude to all my teachers by visiting them and learning something new. My music teacher always sets up something that looks like a set of stairs. She covers it in cloth and puts her dolls, statues and lights it up. This setup is called kolu. Women exchange gifts of sweets, coconuts, and clothing to show the spirit of sharing and goodwill. Other things people will do are fruit and milk fasts, mantra chanting (also known as japa) dedicated to Devi in her different forms.
Vijaydashami is also called Dussehra to celebrate Rama's victory over Ravana - a triumph of good over evil. Large statues of Ravana and other demons are burned at night and there are fireworks.
A Durga Meditation by the Ganna Chakra
Wherever you are, imagine the form of Durga coalescing out of your surroundings - out of the sky, earth, furnishings, drawing crackling strands of electricity out of nearby power sockets, a corona of energy about her. Visualise the form of Durga forming above you. Feel her feet upon your head, sending shockwaves of power through your body, and imagine yourself to be seated on the back of her tiger. Feel the power of Durga coursing through you and meditate upon her qualities.
The weapons which Durga bears (given to her by the gods) can be taken, in this meditation, as 'attachments' - things which you think you need; tools which you perhaps rely too much on. As Durga defeated Mahisa by herself, so too, your power and poise resides in you, rather than your tools and attachments.