Best Durga Puja Celebration and Bengali People
Hopefully, this article will bring some excitement to the Bengali readers as well as will enlightened other respected readers from different cultural backgrounds about how Bengali people celebrate this Grand festival.
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Bengali Durga Puja is not a celebration of 4 days a celebration of the whole year within 4 days. This grand celebration of West Bengal has its Chronicles. For the rest of the world, Durga Puja may be a festival but for Bengali, it’s an emotion. The celebration way and the preparation for the celebration for Bengali people were also very good experiences to see. As a Bengali, while writing this article it’s felt so thrilled to memorize these things again. Durga Puja Celebration and Bengali People.
Rath Yatra: starting of Durga Puja vibes in Bengal
Rath Yatra is the festival of Lord Jagannath and his family but this festival has a deep connection with the Bengali Durga Puja. Rath Yatra is generally celebrated in the monsoon in the month of June or July. On the day of Rath Yatra, the idol-making of Devi Durga started in West Bengal. Before Rath Yatra, no one start making the idol of Devi Durga and it is the trick ritual followed by Bengali people decades after decades. Not only that decoration of the pandal also start on the holy occasion of Rath Yatra. Interesting girl Rath Yatra brings the blessings of Jagannath Dev as well as the vibes of Durga Puja.
Clothing Brands Announce offers as Puja Shopping is a Must
When writing about how Bengali people celebrate Durga Puja then the Durga Puja shopping should be mentioned. Once the rainy monsoon is over that is the month of August Bengali people start their Durga Puja shopping. Traditional to western dresses all are included in the shopping list. Starting from the local market to top clothing brands a shopping mall provides special discounts on Durga Puja collections.
Big posters of several clothing brands with their Durga Puja offer to increase the excitement. No matter how long the shopping list is, a new saree and kurta for the Durga Ashtami are a must-buy for Bengali women and men respectively.
Mahalaya: The Waiting is Almost over and the Final Countdown Starts
Mahalaya celebrated just one week before the Durga Puja. According to the mythology and history associated with Bengali Durga Puja, Devi Durga starts a journey from this day. As she leaves with her husband Lord Mahadev in Kailash so she needs at least 4 to 5 days to come to her father’s house. On the holiday of Mahalaya, every Bengali people remembers their ancestors who are no more in this leaving world. Mahalaya is the end of Pritri-Paksha and starting of Devi-paksha. Bengali people visit the bank of the holy Ganges River, to do the pooja which is known as Tarpan. With the blessings of their ancestors, every Bengali people start the main celebration of Durga Puja. Mahalaya also celebrates by Bengali people with a famous radio program Mahishasur Mardini by Birendra Kishore Bhadra. With this amazing program, Bengali people start the final countdown for the Durga Puja.
Homecoming for Bengalis who live far away from Home
Durga Puja is not only the Homecoming of Devi Durga as Uma, but it is also Homecoming for the people who live far away from their homes because of their careers. Bengali people are always unfortunate if they have to leave their house and parents for a career. No matter what every Bengali child will come to their house to spend the Durga Puja with their parents as they cannot forget the vibes of Durga Puja.
People who live across the country and cannot come to West Bengal celebrate Durga Puja in foreign countries. Bengali communities of Central London, California, New York, and Ethiopia, celebrate Durga Puja in Grand way.
Pandal Shopping is the Best night-out Plan Ever
If you ask any Bengali teenagers about their best night out plans, everyone will say all-night pandal hopping during Durga Puja. The whole of West Bengal special Kolkata and its nearby area remain awake the whole night for 5 days. It is not possible to visit all Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata and other major cities of West Bengal.
So, people make several plans to visit North and South as well as their locality separately. Pandal hopping with family and friends is the best fun for every Bengali teenager, the kid even adult. The lighting and brightening site of West Bengal only can be explored during this great festival.
Bengali Durga Puja: Heritage Houses vs Club Organizers
Bengali Durga Puja has two different styles just like two different sides of one coin. One side is the celebration of Heritage houses and the other is the celebration by club organizers. Heritage houses always follow all the rituals associated with Durga Puja’s strict and orthodox way. The idol of Devi Durga in traditional houses is also different. Yellow-coloured Idol of Devi Durga with its big eyes and smile looks just mesmerizing. Decoration of all Heritage houses during Durga Puja is done with flowers and lights and looks simple but elegant.
While Puja celebrations in clubhouses are more magnificent and fun. Club organizers decorate their Pandal and Idol based on different themes regarding any social messages or replicas of any famous temple or place. In clubhouses, Devi Durga is devoted as a goddess while in Heritage houses she welcomes Uma, the Bengali daughter. Bengali celebrities like actress Rani Mukherjee, Koel Mallick, and singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya also celebrate Durga Puja in their traditional houses.
Bengalis Eat to Please their Mind; Puja Cuisines are Awesome
Bengali peoples are genuine food as their meals are divided into several courses. Starting from veg to nonveg items are included in a Bengali thali. During Durga Puja, every Bengali forget about their diet plan and enjoys Puja cuisine every day. Different kind of restaurants launches their Puja cuisine with the best Bengali items during this season. Not only the restaurant cuisine Bengali people love to enjoy the Bhog of Durga Puja.
Bhog is the lunch to the Uma and then distribute to all people as Prasad. Generally, Bhog is given to the Uma every day but the Bhog of Maha Ashtami is very special for Bengalis. Rice items, fried vegetables, different curries, and sweets all are included in the Bhog. As Bengali people love to eat and through a grand Bhog, they show care and love towards their beloved Uma.
Vijayadashami: End of a Great Festival with Blessings and Sweets
4 days of Maha Shashti, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, and Maha Navami over in the blink of eyes that Bengali people cannot count. Now it is Vijayadashami, this is the time for Uma to leave her father’s house to start her journey toward Kailash. Every Bengali heart wants to burst into tears but control the emotions as they have to say goodbye to their daughter with a smile. No one wants to hurt Uma at the time of her Bidaai. This bonding is shared only with a daughter and her family when she is going to start a new life in her in-law’s house.
Bengali mothers of Uma that is married women do a ritual with sweet, sindoor before saying goodbye to her. And all fathers try to control their tears and bless her, so she can continue happy married life with Lord Mahadev in Kailash like every Bengali further does on his daughter’s marriage. With tears in my heart and a smiling face, every Bengali says goodbye to Uma/Devi Durga and also take the promise that she will visit again next year. On the evening of Vijayadashami the idol of Devi Durga immersion in the holy Ganges river. According to the mythology, the Goddess Ganges will lead Devi Durga towards Kailash where the Lord Mahadev is waiting for her.
After the immersion of Devi Durga Idol, every Bengali visits relatives and neighbors’ houses to wish for the Vijayadashami. Youngers do pranam (touch the foot of elders) and receive blessings. The countdown to the next Durga Puja Festival also starts from here.
Durga Puja Carnival: A new Edition to Bengali Durga Puja Celebration
Now Bengali Durga Puja Vibe does not end on the Vijayadashami evening because of the Durga Puja Carnival. This is another great edition of the Crown of West Bengal culture. On the way, Red Road of Kolkata Durga Puja carnival is celebrated with near about 80 to 90 famous theme panels. Several clubhouses that participate in this carnival provide an introduction about their club and theme through singing, dancing, and other cultural programs. Several top news channels show the live broadcast of this carnival. Not only that UNESCO announces Durga Puja and the Durga Puja Carnival as World Heritage.
So, this is the story of the Bengali people and their Durga Puja celebration. Bengali sad joyful people that is why Kolkata is known as the city of joy. But if anyone wants to experience the actual joyfulness of Bengali people, they must visit the Durga Puja Festival. The connection between Durga Puja to Bengali people cannot be described in one line. Emotional, devotion, spirituality joy, finance everything is connected with Bengali Durga Puja and Bengali people. Let’s wait for the Durga Puja 2023, hope Uma will bring more joy and health as she does always.
