Same as the Christmas celebration in New York, Durga Puja celebration in Kolkata in India is a very well known festival. People celebrate this festival with utmost joy and merriment all round in the city. Much before the day they start making preparations, buying new clothes, arranging for the cultural programs in the community.
The festival is celebrated in the month of September or October and it spans for around a time period of 10 days. During the time you can see the display of art and creativity in the beautiful Pandals and Goddess Durga idols.
Durga Puja is indeed the celebration of the power of feminine power and of the victory that was gained by Goddess Durga by killing the demon Mahishasura who was believed to have been blessed with the power not to be killed by anyone. After 10 Days of fighting, Goddess Durga killed Mahishasur with all the energy of Gods and that is the reason this day is celebrated as Vijayadashami that means the victory on the tenth day.
The Craze of Durga Puja in Bengalis
In Kolkata, the festive celebration kicks starts a month before and people start making preparations with great enthusiasm. A few of the parts of preparations include shopping for brand new clothes mostly the traditional ones, buying gifts for friends and family members; and because of all these pre-preparations, a month before Durga Puja is very hectic for Bengalis. You will see everyone around in joyous mood making rounds of shops and stores, looking for great discounts and sales finding new traditional clothes like Sarees, Salwar Kameez and Dhotis for the celebration. The entire spectacle witnessing the kind of excitement in people for the celebration is something an interesting thing.
Here’s everything you will need to know about Durga Puja 2018
Durga Mahashtami: 17th October 2018 (Wednesday)
Mahashtami Puja Time
Ashtami Tithi Begins = 10:16 on 16th October 2018
Ashtami Tithi Ends = 12:49 on 17th October 2018
Durgashtami, 2018 Mahashtami
Maha Durgashtami is considered to be the second day of the festival of Durga Puja and is believed to be one of the most times of the festive celebration. On the day of Maha Ashtami all nine shaktis of Maa Durga are invoked by installing nine Shaktis of Maa Durga. And, during Maha Ashtami Puja, nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped with utmost devotion.
On this day unmarried young girls are seen as the incarnations of Maa Durga and they are worshipped like Goddesses. This entire process of worshipping young girls is called as Kumari Puja. In many parts of the country during the entire nine days, Kumari Puja is performed and young girls are worshipped like Goddesses. And, if it is being celebrated on a single day, the day is preferred to be celebrated on the Maha Ashtami day.
The auspicious Sandhi Puja is celebrated on the day of Maha Asthami! And, the last 24 minutes of Ashtami Tithi and the first 24 minutes of Navami Tithi is believed to be the holy juncture or the Sandhi time and this is considered as the most auspicious time during the entire Puja.