Durga Puja Essay

500+ Words Essay on Puja

Durga Puja comes from the Hindu Holy Script called Markandeya Purana. Goddess Durga emerges out of the accumulated powers of the Holy Trinity – Lord Brahma, the creator; Lord Vishnu, the preserver; and Lord Shiva. She killed Mahishasura, the king of Asuras, with divine power presented in her ten arms. Thus, Durga represents female power, the epitome of “Shakti” in the universe. In this essay on Durga Puja, students will know about the significance of Durga Puja, how it is celebrated, and the mythological story behind the celebration of the festival. Students must go through this essay to get ideas on essay writing so they can create their own essay on Durga Puja in English.

Significance and Importance of Durga Puja

Durga Puja is the worship of Goddess Durga – Shakti and Power. This festival is celebrated with full enthusiasm all over India. People fast for ten days, thereby showing their devotion towards the Goddess Durga. The celebration differs from place to place based on tradition and belief. In some places, the festival is celebrated for 5 days, in some places for 7 days and in other places, it is celebrated for a complete ten days. The last five days of Durga puja: Sashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Dashami are celebrated with full joy and exuberance in India.

In nine days of celebration, Goddess Durga is worshipped in nine different avatars.

Day one as Shailputri

Day two as Brahmacharini

Day three as Chandraghanta

Day four as Kushmanda

Day five as Skandamata

Day six as Katyayani

Day seven as Kaalratri

Day eight as Mahagauri

Day nine as Siddhidatri

Durga Puja Festival Celebration

Durga Puja is considered one of the popular Hindu festivals in Bengal. It is celebrated in Ashwin month which falls in September-October month. It begins on the same day as Navratri which is a nine-day festival celebrating the divine feminine. During the festival, pandals are decorated at various places to host the Durga Puja. These pandals are the main attraction for people and become a centre of cultural and religious activities. The recitation of scriptures, arti is performed on these pandals. Durga Puja is a great occasion for Hindu families to come together and share love in early fall every year.

The festival of Durga Puja begins with Mahalaya, in which the Hindus perform tarpana by offering water and food to their ancestors. It is believed that on this day, Goddess Durga returns to her mother’s home and stays there for four days. The next significant day is the sixth day (Sashthi), on which devotees welcome the Goddess and festive celebrations begin with full joy. On the seventh (Saptami), eighth (Ashtami) and ninth (Navami) days, the Goddess along with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, and Kartikeya are revered and these days mark the main days of worship. The celebrations end with Vijaya Dashami (“Tenth Day of Victory”). Idols are carried to local rivers for immersion with loud chants and drum beats.

Mythological Story Behind Durga Puja Celebration

The mythological story behind the Durga Puja festival is that Durga, the Goddess with ten hands, killed the demon Mahishashur. Mahishashur meditated for years to be blessed by Brahma to become immortal. Brahma granted him the boon but said that he can only be killed by a woman. After getting immortal, Mahishashur could not believe that a woman could kill him. So, Goddess Durga took birth with the power of all Gods and Goddesses and slew Mahishasur. Durga Puja celebration marks the victory of good over evil as Goddess Durga killed demon king Mahishasur.

Conclusion

The festivals bring peace, happiness, and prosperity to human lives. Various forms of cultural programmes and events are performed on the eve of this festival. Durga Puja conveys the message of unity, integrity and the win of good over bad.

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