A Journey To Discover Life

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...

  Navaratri , The Nine Days Dedicated to the Nine Forms of  Goddess Adi Shakti . In different parts of India, the traditions of the Navratri are quite different from one another. But the celebration is the same. The celebration of the  Mother Goddess, The Woman, The Protector, The Slayer of Evil. Durga Puja is celebrated for four days in Bengal during the same time. Day 1: The worship of Goddess Shailputri She, in this Avatar, is the Daughter Of The Mountains. Parvati, a reincarnation of Sati, was born to King Himalaya and his wife Meneka and was the sister of Goddess Ganga and Mount Mainak. In this avatar, she is unmarried and seen making a journey on Nandi, the Bull, Shiva's ride. This reflects the fact that she is making a journey from her Father to her Husband, thus from maidenhood to womanhood. Her white clothes are a symbol of the purity of her heart and soul. Nandi reflects the calm nature of this goddess; however, she also holds a trident as a mark of he...