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Durga Puja
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In Maharashtra, Durga Puja is a fun occasion. Puja is performed each day and devotees don't remove the flower garland that is put each day on the idol or image of the deity. After nine days all nine are removed together. Young girls who have not attained maturity are invited to eat, play games, dance and sing. An elephant is drawn with rangoli and the girls play guessing games. Then they are fed a meal of their choice.
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In North India, on Durga Puja or the Vijayadasmi day, effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and his son Meghnath are placed in open grounds (maidan). One person donning the robes of Rama, who arrives at the venue with wife Sita and Lakshman in tow, shoots arrows of fire at the effigies. These effigies are stuffed with inflammable material. So when the arrow strikes the target, there is a noisy blast and the effigies are razed to the ground and people clap and cheer loudly in celebration.
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After Indianindependence, the Durga Puja shifted from religious to cultural occasion for many in Kolkata. More than 1,000 pandals are created each year – some recreating famous landmarks like Vatican City or the Kremlin.
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Mahalaya precedes Durga Puja when all the members of the family remember their ancestors. This ritual is called Tarpan. Various shlokas are chanted early in the morning in almost every home as well as in the puja mandaps. The week that follows the Mahalaya is called Debi-pokhsha. The puja actually starts on the day of saptami or the seventh day from the full moon, and goes on till dashami or the tenth day. All mothers keep a fast on sashthi, the day preceding saptami, to pray for the well being of their children.
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The main Puja starts from Shasthi, which is the sixth day after the new moon, when Devi Durga is welcomed with much fanfare and gusto. The face of the Durga is unveiled in the ‘Bodhon’ ritual.
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An integral and important part of Durga Puja, Sandhi Puja, is performed at the juncture of the 8th and 9th lunar day. Sandhi puja lasts from the last 24 minutes of Ashtami till the first 24 minutes of Nabami. During this juncture (the "Sandhikhan"), Durga is worshipped in her Chamunda form. Devi Durga killed, Chando and Mundo, the two asuras at "Sandhikhan" and ... acquired the name of "Chamunda".
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Durga Puja