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)—and from then on, Durga Puja became rooted in Bengal’s autumnal tradition.
Raja Surath’s tale is recorded in the Devi Mahatmya of the Durga Saptashati and the Markandeya Purāṇa. A king of the Chitragupta lineage, Surath was famed both as a ruler and a warrior—invincible in battle, until one day, his kingdom was attacked by a rival state. Defeated, betrayed by his courtiers who looted his wealth, the king found himself wandering the forests in despair. His steps led him to the hermitage of Sage Medhas, who offered him refuge, though Surath’s heart remained restless.
It was here that fate brought him to Samadhi, a merchant cast away by his own wife and son. Despite their cruelty, Samadhi still worried for their welfare. Surath, too, could not shake the pain of betrayal, yet clung to thoughts of his kingdom and subjects. When they confided their turmoil to Sage Medhas, the sage revealed the truth—that such attachments are the play of Mahāmāyā, the Great Illusion, who binds all beings in her web.
Inspired by the sage’s words, Surath and Samadhi began severe penance. At last, blessed by the Divine Mother, they regained what they had lost. In gratitude, Raja Surath is said to have performed the very first Durga Puja during the bright fortnight of spring.
Legend places this first worship at Bolpur in today’s Birbhum district, near Santiniketan, where Surath is believed to have offered puja to Mahishasuramardini Durga—the slayer of the buffalo demon. From that moment, Durga’s image as Mahishasuramardini became the most revered form of the Goddess in Bengal.
Thus, in myth and memory, Raja Surath lives on—not just as a king, but as the devotee who first brought the worship of Durga into the heart of Bengal.
Image Courtesy : Sayan Biswas (Please do not use without permission)
