Dugga Dugga

Arjun and me are in Calcutta this week. We'r down to celebrate Pujo. For a Bengali there is only one Pujo - Durga Pujo. The entire city is lit up for thes eten days. Its like a carnival in the city for 5 days.

Durga Ma also represents Shakti. According to Hindu mythology, a demon by the name of Mahishahura prayed to Lodr Shiva who pleased with his penance gave him a boon that he culd be killed by no man. Mahishashura then started his reign of terror. He even attacked the abode of the Gods.The Gods took refuge with Lord Brahma, who conspired with Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. The three Gods prayed and from them was born a woman who had the power to kill Mahishashura - Durga. She was born from the energy of not only the Holy Trinity ( Brahma, Shiva & Vishnu), but also that of the other Gods. The Gods gifted her with weapons to kill Mahishashura. Bedecked with weapons and jewels, Durga was ready to wage battle. The demon army of Mahishashura was struck by down by Her. Her breath would replenish Her armies bringing back to life her dead soldiers. The demons were running helter skelter. At this point Mahishashura took on the form of a demonic buffalo and charged at Her soldiers. Durga ma threw her noose around him but Mahishashura assumed the form of a lion. When Durga Ma beheaded the lion, he again managed to escape taking the form of a man. He then tok off the shape of a wild elepahant, and finally went back to his form of a demonic buffalo. He hid himself in the mountains from where he hurled boulders at Durga with his horns. Durga drank the divine nectar, the gift of Kuber. She then pounced on Mahishasura, pushing him to the ground with her left leg. She grasped his head in one hand, pierced him with her sharp trident held in another, and with yet another of her ten hands she wielded her bright sword, beheading him. At last he fell dead, and the scattered surviving remnants of his once invincible army fled in terror.The battle raged for nine days and nine nights. The final day is the day of Bijoya Dashami - the 10th Day when Durga Ma was victorious. This is the story which every year we get to hear on All India radio at 4 am - the Mashishashura Mardini.

We celebrate this nine day period in Bengal also as the ten days when Durga Ma comes to Earth with her children - Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh & Kartik to visit her parents each year during the season of Sharad (Autmn).

Well that's just a little for now to tell you all why we celebrate Durga Pujo. The complete image of Goddess Durga represent destruction of evil and protection of good. She is a symbol of strength for women. She symbolises Shakti (Strength). A woman is capable of giving birth, of being gentle, loving and caring, of being a mother but dare anyone threaten her family and children, she can also become Durga - she can also rid this earth of evil.

HAPPY PUJAS FOLKS :)