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 immersive nature fosters a collective consciousness; participation is virtually inescapable.
Historically, Durga Puja synthesizes a remarkable range of sources. Its conceptual roots in the Vedic corpus trace the goddess’s presence to the Devi Sūkta of the Rig Veda—a text that positions her as the primal creative force. In this early context, the feminine principle, Shakti, is depicted as the animating energy behind both deities and mortals. Notably, these hymns are less concerned with narrative heroics and more with a metaphysical assertion of agency and order. This foundational conception is later localized and visualized within Bengal, culminating in the iconic wide-eyed image of Durga, most prominently realized during the chokkhu dān ritual.
The Puranic tradition, particularly the Devi Mahatmya within the Markandeya Purana, introduces the familiar mythological narratives that animate the festival: the goddess’s martial encounters with Mahishasura and other asuras, her protean transformations, and the restoration of cosmic balance. These episodes are not presented as displays of indiscriminate power; rather, each act serves a corrective, restorative purpose, reinstating the principle of ṛta (cosmic order). The framing of the narrative through the experiences of King Suratha and the merchant Samadhi—both beset by personal loss and instability—underscores the festival’s enduring social relevance: Durga is invoked in response to imbalance and adversity, a motif that resonates strongly in Bengal’s historical memory.
The Akal Bodhan episode, in which Rama initiates the worship of the goddess outside the customary season, further exemplifies the ritual’s adaptive elasticity. The event provides both a mythological rationale for the festival’s autumnal timing in Bengal and a broader principle: the invocation of the divine is not restricted by tradition when necessity demands.
In its contemporary Bengali manifestation, Durga Puja is distinguished by its domestic and familial dimensions. The goddess is reimagined as Uma, returning to her parental home with her children—Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik, and Ganesh—thereby reframing the mythic battle as a familial homecoming. Ritual elements such as the bodhon at Mahalaya, the sandhi puja, and the sindoor khela on Dashami structure the festival as a narrative arc of arrival, celebration, and departure. The emotional tenor is marked by a simultaneous sense of triumph and impending loss, encapsulating the cyclical nature of reunion and farewell.
Ritual practices preserve agrarian and communal underpinnings amid urban spectacle. The nabapatrika (or kola-bou), an assemblage of nine leaves ritually bathed and dressed, gestures toward the festival’s rural origins. Collective acts—anjali with flowers, the sensory intensity of incense, and participatory dhunuchi naach—integrate embodied experience with scriptural tradition. In sum, Durga Puja in Bengal persists as a living, adaptive ritual, negotiating continuity and change while serving as a focal point for both spiritual and communal life.
What distinguishes Durga Puja in Bengal isn’t merely its ancient myth—many festivals have elaborate stories—but rather the way this myth has been adopted by the city and countryside alike, transforming them into a collective stage, workshop, and chorus. The Vedic concept of Shakti as the world’s guiding force evolves into the Puranic narrative of rescue, then further adapts into the intimate Bengali motif of mother and daughter, and ultimately emerges as a form of modern public art, constructed from light and bamboo. Each layer remains authentic to its own era; none negates the others. Within the span of a single afternoon, one might find themselves queuing outside a pandal inspired by avant-garde galleries, only to later enter a traditional courtyard celebration where daaker saaj gleams with the luster of a family heirloom. Both these spaces are, in their own way, manifestations of Durga’s presence.
Image Courtesy : Sayan Biswas (Please do not use without permission)
