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 This article is partly featured in The Statesman Festival 2024 Magazine. In Bengal, Durga Puja is not only a religious tradition, but it is also a festival. It is called “ Bangalir Shreshto Utsab ” or the greatest festival of Bengalis. It is because, although it started as a religious festival, as we have discussed in the previous blogs, it turned out to be a representation of cultural unity and the freedom movement, as well as seeing her as the daughter returning home with her children. It is called a " Sarbojonin " Utsab or a festival meant for all and sundry. Durga Puja is inclusive of caste, creed, religion, as well as gender identities and professions. Thus, it is more than just a Puja . The traditions, rituals and ways of Durga Puja are hence very different from Navratri, which are observed in individual homes. Let's find out how. The Pandals and idol: As per Hindu tradition,  four things are important when  the idol of Maa Durga is prepared. These include clay fro...

A lot of you have been asking me whether the traditions of Durga Puja are the same as those of Navratri, and have shown your interest in knowing about it. Trying to put up a series of blogs on the same topic, I came across a lot of information that I will address below. Is Durga Puja like Navratri? To start with, Durga Puja and Navratri are not one and the same. In Navratri, people worship the Navdurga (Nine aspects of Durga) while Durga Puja focuses on the Mahishashur Mardini or Slayer of Mahish Asura for four days. Durga Puja starts on Saptami and ends on Vijaya Dashami. Traditionally, it lasts for four days and not nine like the Navratris. The Durga Puja in October is also known as Okal Bodhon or “Worship during Unusual time” This is because usually, Mahishashur Mardini i s worshipped during spring when she is originally believed to have killed Mahishashur . However, with time, it evolved in Bengali culture and legends as Maa Durga returned “home” to her paternal house with her ch...

  Background: Nawab Alivardi Khan was ruling Bengal at the peak of Nawabi rule, expanding his strong empire. He had successfully suppressed the Marathas and had given a strong message to the British East India Company’s rising influence at Calcutta. Highly aware of the British Colonial policies across the globe, Nawab Alivardi Khan was strict with his policies and stronghold over Murshidabad, the then capital of Bengal (including present-day Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, and Bangladesh).  He had two daughters and no sons. Amina Begum was the elder one, followed by Ghaseti Begum. Amina had three sons with her husband and courtier, Ahmed Khan. The second son, Mirza Mohammad, fondly called Siraj-Ud-Daulah (light of the country)by his grandfather, was born in 1733C.E. He was his grandfather’s  favourite  because he was born while he won over the Marathas. Alivardi Khan never let the “fortune child” of the family out of his sight. Siraj grew up accompanying his g...