Durga Puja

Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is an annual Hindu festival that honors and pays respect to the Hindu goddess Durga and commemorates Durga's victory over Mahishasur. It originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is especially popular and traditionally observed in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Tripura, Assam, and Bangladesh. The event takes place in the month of Ashwin in the Indian calendar, which corresponds to September-October in the Gregorian calendar.

Durga Puja is a ten-day festival, with the final five days being the most important. The puja is done in both private and public settings, with the latter including a makeshift stage and structural decorations (known as pandals). Scripture recitations, performance arts, partying, gift-giving, family visits, feasting, and public processions are all part of the event. In Hinduism's Shaktism tradition, Durga Puja is a significant festival. In December 2021, UNESCO classified Durga puja in Kolkata on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Date: the month of Ashwin in the Indian calendar

Type: Hindu