The auspicious Mahalaya occasion not only denotes the last days before Maa Durga and her four children—God Ganesha, Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Kartikeya—are welcomed, but also the sacred commencement of Devi Paksha. And with that, our enthusiasm for Durga Puja also soars.
Let us know the significance of the 5 days of Durga Puja celebrations:
1. Shashthi
On Shashthi, the first day of the festivities, the face of the Durga deity is revealed. On Shashthi, a number of rites are carried out, including odhibash, bodhon, amontron, and kalprarambha. Kalprarambha is the Pujo’s starting point. Bodhon, the act of revealing the face of the Durga deity, takes place in the evening. Devi Durga is invited by the amontron rite, and her stay in the mandap is sanctified through the odhibash ritual.
2. Saptami
At first light on Saptami, a banana tree is submerged in holy water. After that, the tree is worshipped with flowers, incense, and sandalwood paste while wearing a saree. This is referred to as the “banana (plant) bride” or kola bou. Its placement next to Lord Ganesha signifies its newfound status as his spouse. When honouring Kola Bou, another symbolic practise is the sacred bath of the Nabapatrika, or nine leaves. It is made up of leaves from nine plants, which stand for nine manifestations of Shakti: Raktadantika (pomegranate), Sokrahita (ashoka), Brahmani (banana), Durga (turmeric), Kalika (colacassia), Kartiki (jayanti), Shiva (wood apple), and Lakshmi (paddy). Nabapatrika is brought to the Ganga river in Kolkata for a bath, or “snan.” The leaves are tied with nabapatrika to make it.
3. Asthami
Ashtami, the eighth day of Durga Puja, is considered to be the most auspicious day. It is thought that on Ashtami, Goddess Kali killed the asuras or demons Chanda, Munda, and Raktabija who were accompanying Mahishasura by emerging from Devi Durga’s forehead. An important aspect of Ashtami is the Kumari Pujo, also known as Kanya Pujan. It alludes to a custom in which young girls are invited and worshipped as Devi Durga’s avatars.
4. Navami
Hindu mythology states that on Navami, Devi Durga killed Mahishasura. Devi Durga is hence also referred to as Mahisasuramardini, or “the vanquisher of Mahishasur.” Navami is a day full of blessings for fresh starts.
5. Vijayadashami
Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra, signifies the conclusion of the Durga Puja celebrations. Women wearing the customary “laal paad shada saree” celebrate Dashami with Sindoorkhela. Initially, married women say farewell to the Goddess by performing Devi Baran. After women apply sindoor on the Goddess’s feet and forehead, there is an aarti.
