Durga Puja 2023 will be celebrated in the month of October with Mahalaya on 14 October and Maha Panchami on 19 October. Just like every year, with the resounding echoes of the melodious 'Bajlo Tomar Alor Benu', Bengalis around the world will welcome the Goddess with the biggest smiles. Being the most awaited festival of the year for Bengalis, Durga Puja is nothing short of a carnival, with breathtakingly beautiful pandals peppered across cities, the reverberating sound of the dhaak, clusters of brilliant white kaash phool, people adorned in vibrant attire, and a whole gastronomic celebration!
Durga Puja 2023 Dates
The 2023 Durga Puja shall be celebrated in the month of Karthik of the Bengali calendar, thus coinciding with the month of October in the Gregorian calendar. Here are complete Durga Puja 2023 dates are below:| Day | Date | |
| Mahalaya | Saturday | 14 October 2023 |
| Maha Panchami | Thursday | 19 October 2023 |
| Maha Sashti | Friday | 20 October 2023 |
| Maha Saptami | Saturday | 21 October 2023 |
| Maha Ashtami | Sunday | 22 October 2023 |
| Maha Navami | Monday | 23 October 2023 |
| Vijaya Dashami | Tuesday | 24 October 2023 |
Where is Durga Puja Celebrated?
Durga Puja or Durga Pujo is celebrated with unmatched enthusiasm in West Bengal. Other states of the Indian subcontinent which welcome Durga Puja with pomp and pomposity are Assam, Odisha, Bihar, and Tripura. The Indian diaspora of other countries, such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Germany, Hong Kong, the United States of America, Switzerland, Sweden, and the Netherlands, also come together to unite in their respective foreign lands and celebrate Durga Puja.
The Origin of Durga Puja
As the legend of Hindu Mythology goes, the warrior goddess Durga was brought into existence by the collective effort of all the gods in heaven. When one of the asuras - the evil beings who reside in 'pataal', or below the earth - was granted a boon that stated that any man could not kill him, he began to try and take over the abode of the Gods. This made the divine beings anxious, who inevitably failed to defeat the cunning asura. To solve this worrisome issue, all the gods came together and projected their energies and powers to create an invincible woman named Durga, or the impenetrable.
When Mahishasura first laid eyes on the goddess, he was captivated by her fierce beauty and wished to marry her. The goddess, however, was ready to marry only the one who could defeat her in battle. Since Mahishasura was not careful enough to choose his boon wisely, he forgot to ask for immunity from women. Following a five-day battle between Durga and Mahishasura, the former emerged victorious, returning peace to the gods and their homes.
Durga Puja Rituals and Traditions
Durga Puja is a ten-day festival, even though the latter five days are recognized and celebrated. The steady hum of the chants, coupled with the scent of incense and the echoes of the conch, announces the arrival of the festival. The pandals are beautifully decorated, often in keeping with a certain theme. The streets are crowded with people out to see these pandals and the ethereal idols that reside within.
Shubho Mahalaya - 14 October 2023
The day prior to the first day of Durga Puja is celebrated as Mahalaya, wherein people come together to listen to the renowned Mohishasur Mordini on the radio, and kids burst firecrackers at the break of dawn. On this day, the goddess is believed to descend from the heavens. It is also the day when a significant ritual, known as Chokkhudaan, takes place, in which an artisan paints the eyes of the deity and brings it to its completion as the sun's rays first light up the surface of the earth. Tarpan is a common practice on Mahalaya, in which people offer various food items and water to their departed ancestors. The following day marks the beginning of the Devi Paksha.
For Durga Puja 2020, Mahalaya shall not fall seven days prior to Maha Shashti as it usually does, but thirty-five days before it! This rare event takes place when there is a 'Mal Maash', or, a month which witnesses two new moons.
Maha Shashti - 20 October 2023
Five days pass by in a blink as people look forward to Maha Shashti, the day when the festival officially begins. The pandals are ready to receive the enthusiastic crowds, a number of stalls selling thrifty trinkets and mouth-watering junk food are positioned around the area, loudspeakers are blaring with devotional numbers, and the incessant ringing of bells along with the thick smoke of dhunuchi is filling the quietude with a joyous aura. Most people begin pandal-hopping from this day, if not earlier. The powerful goddess is worshipped along with her four children, namely Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, and Karthika.
Maha Shaptami - 21 October 2023
The seventh day of Durga Puja, popularly referred to as the Maha Shaptami, marks the day of Pran Pratishthaan, wherein the pandit is believed to bring the idols to life by reciting the mantras from the religious scriptures. A young banana plant, popularly known as the Kola Bou, is taken to a nearby river in a small procession, where it is bathed before being draped in a saree. This plant is considered to be the wife of Lord Ganesha and is believed to carry the goddess's strength as well as her positive energy.
Maha Ashtami - 22 October 2023
Maha Ashtami, or the eighth day of Durga Puja, is marked by the ritualistic 'pushpanjali', in which people fast in the mornings and only taste food once they have recited the chants of the holy scripture along with the pandit. Even though the 'pushpanjali' takes place every day of the festival, this is the day when everyone takes part in it. Maha Ashtami is also significant since, on this day, the virgin form of the goddess Durga is worshipped. This ritual, commonly referred to as the Kumari Puja, involves the worshipping of little girls who are believed to be the embodiment of the goddess herself. Once the Kumari Puja is over, the divine goddess is said to come and reside in the girl.
The evenings of Maha Ashtami are characterized by the traditional dhunuchi naach, where people dance with an earthen vessel filled with burning camphor and husks of coconut. Accompanied by the rhythmic melody of the dhaak, this tradition is a captivating event altogether. Moreover, this evening is also devoted to Sandhi Puja, wherein the goddess is offered a hundred and eight lotuses, and a hundred and eight lamps are lit.
Maha Navami - 23 October 2023
Maha Navami or the ninth day is celebrated as the day when good conquers evil. It is regarded as the final day of the battle between Goddess Durga and the demon Mahishasura, where in the end Maa Durga proves victorious. On this day, people wake early to begin their day with a bath or Mahasnan and then offer prayers to the Goddess.
Bijaya Dashami - 24 October 2023
The final day of Durga Puja, Bijaya Dashami, coincides with Dussehra and is marked by a number of traditional practices. As per the Hindu mythology, this was the day when Goddess Durga emerged victorious over the shape-shifting demon Mahishasura. On this day, women bring sweets to the pandals and offer them to the idols after touching their feet. They also smear the idols as well as themselves with sindoor, or vermillion powder, which is extremely sacred in the Hindu religion. This powder is believed to bring the power of fertility, along with good luck with regards to one's marital life.
Durga Puja Visarjan
Durga Puja is a time of celebration and cheer. For Bengalis, the phrase 'Maa aschen', which translates to 'the Goddess is arriving', means everything! With streets decked in bright-coloured lights and people decked in bright-coloured clothes, the festival brings people together. It is a time to care and share, form new bonds while reviving the old ones, eat without regrets, and shop till you drop. It is indeed the festival of all festivals.
'Asche bochhor abar hobe!'