The preparation for Durga Puja, a five-day festival, is in full swing, with idols and pandals in the final stages of construction. Celebrated with great enthusiasm and fanfare in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, and Jharkhand, the festival brings joy and cheer to the people.
On the sixth day of Navratri, the nine-day festival that began on September 22 this year, goddess Durga devotees will bring her home in a grand ceremony and celebrate her arrival with puja ceremonies and prasad distribution. Elaborate pandals are set up to welcome the goddess as people indulge in delicious traditional food, organise cultural events, and socialise with family, neighbours and friends.
Celebrating the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon king Mahishasura, the festival’s vibrant spirit is enhanced by artistic displays of theme-based pandals and idols, cultural performances, feasting, and other traditional rituals. It is believed that goddess Durga arrives to earth on the first day of Navratri and returns to her home on Kailash Parvat on the last day of the festival.
When is Durga Puja 2025?
This year Durga Puja will begin on September 28 and go on till October 2. After several days of merrymaking, the festival will conclude with Vijayadashmi or Dussehra, the final day of the festival when people would bid a tearful adieu to Maa Durga.
The eighth and ninth day of the festival is of special significance, celebrated as Durga Ashtami and Durga Navami respectively, when special pujas are performed. Sandhi Puja is one significant ritual performed between the end of Maha Ashtami and the beginning of Maha Navami during the Durga Puja festival.
Durga Puja calendar
September 27: Bilva Nimantran
September 28 (Day 1): Shashti
September 29 (Day 2): Durga Saptami
September 30 (Day 3): Durga Ashtami
October 1 (Day 4): Durga Navami
October 2 (Day 5): Durga Visarjan, Vijayadashmi
Popular Durga Puja rituals
Bodhon
According to a Durga Puja legend, Lord Rama invoked Maa Durga to get her blessings to defeat demon king Ravana. To commemorate this day, Bodhon ceremony is performed in the evening of Shashti wherein the goddess is invoked.
Dhunuchi Naach
An integral part of Durga Puja, Dhunuchi Naach is performed holding a clay incense burner emitting fragrant smoke known as Dhunuchi. The ritual is performed by women dressed in their best of fineries, to celebrate Maa Durga’s arrival to the earth.
Sindoor Khela
Sindoor Khela is one of the most colourful rituals of the festival performed by married women on the last day of Durga Puja, where they apply vermillion (sindoor) on each other’s faces, bidding farewell to the Goddess Durga.
