There's a particular shift in the air over Kolkata when the Ashwin sky fills with those loose white clouds and the kaash phul starts swaying along the riverbanks — the whole city seems to change how it breathes. But the festival that has become almost inseparable from Kolkata's identity today has roots that run much deeper than any single autumn: into old scripture, and just as much into the city's own tangled history. It's worth going back and tracing how a story about a myt

Durga Puja, Bengal’s grandest festival today, has a history as layered as the rituals themselves. One popular account credits Raja Kangsanarayan of Taherpur with organizing the first grand royal Durga Puja in the late 16th century. Appointed as Diwan of Bengal and Bihar under Emperor Akbar, Kangsanarayan later retired to Rajshahi and turned to religion and philanthropy. There, he invited Brahmin scholars to perform a great yajna. Among them, the noted scholar Ramesh Shastri d

According to the Purāṇas, the origins of Durga Puja trace back not to autumn, but to spring. It is said that Raja Surath, along with a merchant named Samadhi, once worshipped Goddess Durga during the season of Basant, at the hermitage of Sage Medhas. This came to be known as Basantī Puja. In fact, the Chandi itself refers to Raja Surath as the first worshipper of the Goddess. Later, it was Lord Rama who, in his quest to defeat Ravana, invoked Durga out of season (Akal Bodhan)

Durga puja a social festival of the Hindus. The festival of Durga Puja starts with Mahalaya, in Aswin. Prayers are offered to their ancestors at the river banks, a ritual called Tarpan. The inauguration of the Goddess idol starts on Mahashasthi. The main puja is for three days - Mahasaptami, Mahaastami, Mahanavami. The puja rituals are long and very detailed and complicated. Three days of Mantras and Shlokas and Arati and offerings – the whole atmosphere is filled up with a f

Mahishasura In Hindu scriptures, Mahishasura was an asura. Mahishasura's father Rambha was king of the asuras, and he once fell in love with Princess Mahishi, who was cursed to be a water buffalo; Mahishasura was born out of this union. He is, therefore, able to change between human and buffalo form at will ( mahisha is Sanskrit word for buffalo). The two demon brothers Rambh and Karambh came on the throne of the Underworld. Their Mother Danu instructed them to do penanc

When the faint fragrance of shiuli blossoms drifts into Bengal’s early autumn air, and the dark sky turns indigo before sunrise, radios across the state begin to hum with a voice that has become eternal. It is Birendra Krishna Bhadra’s recitation of the Mahishasura Mardini, broadcast on All India Radio (AIR). This moment is Mahalaya — the beginning of Durga Puja, the invocation of the Goddess, the herald of autumn. For Bengalis, Mahalaya is not just a date on the lunar calend

In Bengal, Durga Puja represents more than a religious observance; it is an intricate cultural phenomenon, deeply embedded in both region and psyche. The festival’s presence is perceptible not only in ritual but in environmental cues—the shiuli blossoms, the shifting quality of seasonal light, and the pervasive beat of the dhaak drum. For five days, social and urban fabrics transform, with streets and neighborhoods reimagined as sites of mythic storytelling. The festival’s im

For a few incandescent days each autumn, Kolkata stops being a city and remembers it is a story. The pavements turn into footnotes, the avenues into chorus lines, and every neighborhood—para, lane, bylane—becomes a luminous stanza in the poem of Durga Puja. Clay breathes. Bamboo whispers. The conch calls. And the Mother arrives—not only as the slayer of a buffalo demon, but as memory, music, and a mirror held up to our better selves. Kolkata's Durga Puja is not just a festiva

The entire mythological framework of Durga Puja is enshrined in the Devi Mahatmya ("The Glory of the Goddess"), a foundational text of Shaktism that constitutes chapters 81 through 93 of the Markandeya Purana. Composed around the 5th or 6th century CE, this text is the first in high Sanskrit literature to elevate the Goddess to the status of the supreme, ultimate reality. Also known as the Durga Saptashati or Chandi Path, it contains 700 verses that are recited verbatim durin

Mythical and Scriptural Roots: The worship of goddess Durga originates from ancient Hindu scriptures, especially the Devi Mahatmya (part of the Markandeya Purana, roughly composed by the 5th-6th century CEM. This text celebrates the divine feminine power (Shakti) who defeats the buffalo demon Mahishasura, symbolizing cosmic victory of good over evil.Early Bengal Practices: While the worship of the Mother Goddess was widespread in ancient Bengal, including tribal and folk trad

Kumartuli, which translates to "the potters' quarter," emerged in North Kolkata during the late 18th century, following the British establishment of Fort William after the Battle of Plassey in 1757. In the aftermath, the British administration organized the city by allocating specific neighborhoods to various artisan communities, designating Kumartuli for potters and idol-makers. Initially, Kumartuli artisans primarily produced functional earthenware for local markets. Howev

The Navadurga: Nine Manifestations of Supreme Power (as detailed in the Devi Purana)....Significance of Navaratri The Devi Purana presents nine distinct forms of the goddess Durga, each embodying a unique aspect of her divinity. These manifestations are venerated during Navaratri, with each day dedicated to one form, and each bestowing particular blessings upon devotees. Below is an academic overview of these forms: Shailaputri (Daughter of the Mountains): In mythological ac

The artistry of Durga Puja is dynamic, reflecting societal changes and artistic innovations. Thematic Depth and Social Commentary: More and more pandals are moving beyond mere aesthetics to convey powerful social, environmental, or cultural messages. Artists often use their installations to comment on issues like climate change, migration, women's empowerment, preserving heritage, or the breakdown of social structures. Immersive Experiences: Artists are creating pandals tha

Though the worship of the Goddess existed in ancient India and several other countries, it was in Bengal that Durga Puja began, expanded, and became a grand festival. Scholars differ on who initiated it and when. Some believe that Raja Kangsa Narayan of Tahirpur in Rajshahi (now in Bangladesh) began Durga Puja in the late 16th or early 17th century. Others say it was initiated by Uday Narayan, father of the Manusamhita commentator Kulukabhatta, and Kangsa Narayan only followe

In Bengal, Durga Puja is more than just a religious event; it is a unique celebration. This festival combines emotion, tradition, creativity, and commerce into a grand annual spectacle. While many consider it five days of festivity, Durga Puja actually involves months of preparation, creating jobs and supporting local economies. It stands as one of the largest cultural forces in India. Durga Puja is an art form, with artists at its core. The process starts in the sacred lane