KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, October 10, 2005: West Bengal is alive with festivities in honor of Goddess Durga in October. The news release explains, “The festivities begin from Mahasashthi (the sixth day from the day after Mahalaya), when the priest unveils the Goddess Durga during a puja known as bodhan. This is followed by the three main days of Mahasaptami, Mahaastami and Mahanavami when the chanting of hymns, arati and anjali (floral offerings with chanting of hymns by men, women and children in new clothes) mark the rituals. The fifth day of Bijoya Dasami, when the icons are immersed, marks the end of a carnival in West Bengal that goes beyond religions and communities. In many households, women go without food since morning on Mahasashthi for the well-being of the family.” There is history behind the Durga Puja which the article points out was first recorded in the Nadia district around 1606. Apparently at that time it was a festival celebrated primarily by rich landlord families. Later, as the puja became more popular, it became a community affair. “Today,” the article says, “Durga Puja is celebrated on a mass scale with mind-boggling puja pandals or marquees and icons showcasing the best of craftsmanship and imagination dotting every nook and corner of West Bengal.”
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