2005/10/25
Come to my new page
HI, If you want to visit Calcutta Puja Pandal Come along me. I have taken few snaps for you. Watch it http://dyutimoy.multiply.com
Vivekananda Bridge, Kolkata
Vivekananda Bridge on River Hoogly. We used to go to the bridge and chat with ourselves for hours together. We call it Bali Bridge.
2005/10/14
Rasgulla for all
Rasgulla is one of the famous and delicious food. In today's Hi-tech world we got tin packed rasgulla, but it is not that much testy as if you get one coming out of the oven just now.We have a tradition to offer sweet after wishing any body Subho bijaya....That's why here is all these Rasogolla for u !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Subho Vijaya
Subho Vijayar Preeti Subechha o Osonkho Bhalobasa [Happy Vijaya and many many Happy Returns of the Year]
2005/10/10
2005/10/06
Happy Birth Day Catch 22
Freinds, u must know the name Neil Stephen
today his only Blog turned one year old.
HAPPY BIRTH DAY TO catch 22!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is the first person to start bloging in our university!!!!!!!!!!!
but he is so simple that he did not confine this bloging oppertunity to himself only. He encouraged many one like me for bloging.
all student in our College feels that he might be a mad man wasteing all his time without any study ....here every body is always running for Career...fighting for a single inches
but I personally feel he is the only person who does not think only of his career but only thinks what he feels, he dares to do what he wants to do...he does only what he wishes ..............
Carry on and Cheer up Neil
Happy Birth Day to ur Catch 22
today his only Blog turned one year old.
HAPPY BIRTH DAY TO catch 22!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is the first person to start bloging in our university!!!!!!!!!!!
but he is so simple that he did not confine this bloging oppertunity to himself only. He encouraged many one like me for bloging.
all student in our College feels that he might be a mad man wasteing all his time without any study ....here every body is always running for Career...fighting for a single inches
but I personally feel he is the only person who does not think only of his career but only thinks what he feels, he dares to do what he wants to do...he does only what he wishes ..............
Carry on and Cheer up Neil
Happy Birth Day to ur Catch 22
2005/10/01
Thank u Neil !!!
HI, after a long time I am writing in my blog. I was severly criticised by my good friends tath my language is not good, some suggested tath my presentation is not good. So I thought I will not write untill and unless I am able to improve it properly. But it is my good friend Neil who mailed me again and again to write in the Blog.He encouraged me a lot to write what ever I feel and I think. So I am writing again.
Thank you Neil. Thanks a lot.
2005/03/16
Come to my school- Hindu School
Come to my school- Hindu School …since 1817
India’s one of the most ancient school. …Established on 1817 by David Hare and other distinguished Bengalies…like Raja Ramohon Roy and many more …..
It was the time of Bengali renaissance, the British needed some obedient servant who can talk their language and write their language so they started to tech Indians English, Sanskrit and mathematics… so they made a school for the English man in the Calcutta fort for them…by this time all others Bengali’s felt that they need some western education not only to compete with the English but also for the development of them selves…
You must have heard about Henry Luie Derogio, he was the first to die for the renaissance…he was one of the famous teacher of Hindu College…when it was established Hindu school was called as Hindu College[1]… he made the pupil to know what is right and what is wrong, encouraged them to fight against the Bengali superstition … breaking all restrictions and putting behind all problems…
In that point of time Hindu college was compared with Oxford…all the famous Bengali’s were the student of this prestigious institution … Scientist Satyendra Nath Bose was one of them… and many many more…
I was also one of them … I got admit ion in standard six…before that I was a student of Patha Bhavan[2] …when I first came to school it was for the entrance test conducted by the school… I was old enough that as soon as I entered I felt that if I could get admit ion in this school I will be the happiest person in the world … yes I got it …in the first day in the school it was terrific… it was on the Heart of Calcutta…one of the busiest road goes just beside my school…you must have heard about College Street… yes Asia’s biggest book market… for New as well as old books… lots of people bargaining, buying and selling books…all thse book shops were on the footpath…so there was always heavy crowd always…lots of vehicles used to run on this road, so you can imagine the situation … I was born and brought up in Dakshineswar and it was like town and my school was at village side… so I never faced so heavy crowd so many vehicles… my mother used to drop me in the school…till standard 11th I used to go with her… in Calcutta/Kolakata it was a common practice…mother’s never feels that her son/ daughter has grown up!!!!!!!!!!!
Now I should tell you the geographical situation of my school… come with me…if you enter my school from the main door … do not enter wait on the gate …you have two choice one the school gate and on the just left side you will get the entrance gate to Indian Coffee house… it is famous for Bengalis addakhana (place for chatting) you will get there all the famous writers, poets and lovers… if you do not have money in your pocket then go to the right side from the school gate the road goes to Headua… Headua is a swimming pool…it is one of the oldest pool of Kolkata as I know… you can have adda for hours their free of costs…there are Govt. benches around the pool… sit and have a packet of jhalmuri and chat chat and chat … if you are bored with all this, then cross the main road… on the opposite side of our school it was Presidency College, Kolkata and just adjoining to the building of Presidency college it is Hare School, and then Calcutta University Building and then Calcutta Medical College … so it was the heaven for students… he may be of any standard and of any school…on the back side of my school it was Sanskrit College, and School…till standard 11th my mother was always with me…she went with me from house to school and then waited there and come back with me…it was like that she also had her classes out side the school gate… it was not my mother only it was many more … at least all most all the student’s parents… actually my home was at a distance of 20KM from my house and in Kolkata we have to travel by private owned buses…buses are more in number than roads, they drive very rash … so it was a risky to move on the roads of Kolkata… I am not defaming Kolkata, I am just telling you the fact…it was due to the cause that Kolkata is not like any other planed city it just grows as people needed so there was no plan, and due to heavy population it has become almost impossible today to control it… but now a days new plans and projects are taken in to hands to restricts and for the betterment of the city…so the situation does not allow my parents to let me go to school alone … so till 11th standard I could not go out of my school, because my mother used to wait beside the school gate… I could not get any chance to test all these till 12th standard, before I used to see all these from the school window… in the 12th I chose science as my basic subjects…we had to attend practical training, on top floor there were three laboratories, one for Bio-science another for Physics and another for Chemistry. These all were small library with small fundamental instruments. We had classes for the first half only and the other half was laboratories. Like all other Govt. school laboratory we did not have the any instruments for our use. It was not because that we do not have instruments but because these instruments were not handled with care and proper way. So we used to come out from the school … mother was not on the gate so I was free… I did not get much money from my mother…so I along with my friends used to sit at Hedua anda chat… all those who used to come out with me had at least one girl friend except me, so they used to tell what they had chat when they meet last time or where did they go at last time or their future plans. I used to listen to them. By this way it turns 4pm we all used to get up and start for our destinations.
India’s one of the most ancient school. …Established on 1817 by David Hare and other distinguished Bengalies…like Raja Ramohon Roy and many more …..
It was the time of Bengali renaissance, the British needed some obedient servant who can talk their language and write their language so they started to tech Indians English, Sanskrit and mathematics… so they made a school for the English man in the Calcutta fort for them…by this time all others Bengali’s felt that they need some western education not only to compete with the English but also for the development of them selves…
You must have heard about Henry Luie Derogio, he was the first to die for the renaissance…he was one of the famous teacher of Hindu College…when it was established Hindu school was called as Hindu College[1]… he made the pupil to know what is right and what is wrong, encouraged them to fight against the Bengali superstition … breaking all restrictions and putting behind all problems…
In that point of time Hindu college was compared with Oxford…all the famous Bengali’s were the student of this prestigious institution … Scientist Satyendra Nath Bose was one of them… and many many more…
I was also one of them … I got admit ion in standard six…before that I was a student of Patha Bhavan[2] …when I first came to school it was for the entrance test conducted by the school… I was old enough that as soon as I entered I felt that if I could get admit ion in this school I will be the happiest person in the world … yes I got it …in the first day in the school it was terrific… it was on the Heart of Calcutta…one of the busiest road goes just beside my school…you must have heard about College Street… yes Asia’s biggest book market… for New as well as old books… lots of people bargaining, buying and selling books…all thse book shops were on the footpath…so there was always heavy crowd always…lots of vehicles used to run on this road, so you can imagine the situation … I was born and brought up in Dakshineswar and it was like town and my school was at village side… so I never faced so heavy crowd so many vehicles… my mother used to drop me in the school…till standard 11th I used to go with her… in Calcutta/Kolakata it was a common practice…mother’s never feels that her son/ daughter has grown up!!!!!!!!!!!
Now I should tell you the geographical situation of my school… come with me…if you enter my school from the main door … do not enter wait on the gate …you have two choice one the school gate and on the just left side you will get the entrance gate to Indian Coffee house… it is famous for Bengalis addakhana (place for chatting) you will get there all the famous writers, poets and lovers… if you do not have money in your pocket then go to the right side from the school gate the road goes to Headua… Headua is a swimming pool…it is one of the oldest pool of Kolkata as I know… you can have adda for hours their free of costs…there are Govt. benches around the pool… sit and have a packet of jhalmuri and chat chat and chat … if you are bored with all this, then cross the main road… on the opposite side of our school it was Presidency College, Kolkata and just adjoining to the building of Presidency college it is Hare School, and then Calcutta University Building and then Calcutta Medical College … so it was the heaven for students… he may be of any standard and of any school…on the back side of my school it was Sanskrit College, and School…till standard 11th my mother was always with me…she went with me from house to school and then waited there and come back with me…it was like that she also had her classes out side the school gate… it was not my mother only it was many more … at least all most all the student’s parents… actually my home was at a distance of 20KM from my house and in Kolkata we have to travel by private owned buses…buses are more in number than roads, they drive very rash … so it was a risky to move on the roads of Kolkata… I am not defaming Kolkata, I am just telling you the fact…it was due to the cause that Kolkata is not like any other planed city it just grows as people needed so there was no plan, and due to heavy population it has become almost impossible today to control it… but now a days new plans and projects are taken in to hands to restricts and for the betterment of the city…so the situation does not allow my parents to let me go to school alone … so till 11th standard I could not go out of my school, because my mother used to wait beside the school gate… I could not get any chance to test all these till 12th standard, before I used to see all these from the school window… in the 12th I chose science as my basic subjects…we had to attend practical training, on top floor there were three laboratories, one for Bio-science another for Physics and another for Chemistry. These all were small library with small fundamental instruments. We had classes for the first half only and the other half was laboratories. Like all other Govt. school laboratory we did not have the any instruments for our use. It was not because that we do not have instruments but because these instruments were not handled with care and proper way. So we used to come out from the school … mother was not on the gate so I was free… I did not get much money from my mother…so I along with my friends used to sit at Hedua anda chat… all those who used to come out with me had at least one girl friend except me, so they used to tell what they had chat when they meet last time or where did they go at last time or their future plans. I used to listen to them. By this way it turns 4pm we all used to get up and start for our destinations.
2005/02/19
Ritual and Play Emotion
Ritual and Play Emotion
Myths of Devi Durga an Bengali sentiment
Durga Puja, the festival of Bengalis is the worship of 'Shakti' or the divine power. Most of the religious celebrations in the world have legends surrounding them. The fables are generally the fight between the evil and the good, the dark forces eventually succumbing to the divine. Worship of Goddess Durga is based on myths where Durga symbolizes the divine power.
According To the Bengali Mythology
Mahishasura, the king of Asuras, through years of austerities, was once granted a boon by Lord Bramha, that no man or deity would be able to kill him. The immense power filled in him the urge to rule over the world. He started to terrorize heaven and the inhabitants. He pervaded the world with his battalion of Asuras and plundered and ruthlessly killed the people. Chaos and anarchy reigned. Gods were driven from heaven and Mahishasura usurped the throne.
The Gods scared and unable to combat him, requested Lord Shiva, Lord Bramha, Lord Vishnu to stop Mahishasura's tyranny. In answer, the three Gods combined their divine energy and summoned up a feminine form so brilliantly glaring that it illuminated the heavens. This combined power fell on the residence of Sage Kattyana in the krishna chaturdashi (fourteenth day of new moon) in the month of Ashwin (September-October). From the glow emerged Devi Durga, a beautiful yellow woman with ten arms riding a lion. Despite her grace she bore a menacing expression, for Durga was born to kill. Fully grown and armed by the gods, beautiful Durga was named "Kattyani" as she is born in the ashram of sage Kattyana. The sage worshipped her for sukla saptami, asthami and nabami tithi then on the tithi of Dashami she killed Masishasura. She was sent forth against Mahishasura armed by symbols of divine power; Vishnu's discus; Shiva's trident; Varuna's conchshell; Agni's flaming dart; Vayu's bow; Surya's quiver and arrow; Yama's iron rod; Indra's thunderbolt; Kubera's club and a garland of snakes from Shesha and a lion as a charger from Himalayas. A fierce battle took place. Finally when Mahishasura in the guise of a buffalo charged against Durga, the Devi beheaded the buffalo and from it emerge Mahishasura in his original form. Durga pierced his chest with the trident and relieved the world from the evil power. That is why she is 'Durgatinashini Durga', our mother goddess who destroys the evil, protects her devotees and establishes peace and prosperity on earth.
We worship Durga as the mother goddess, the epitome of 'Shakti' (divine power), to deliver us from the evil and bring peace and prosperity in our lives. But the most interesting part of Durga Puja is that, instead of placing Durga on a high alter and worshipping her from a distance the Bengalis embrace her in their hearts and make her an inseparable member of the family. We welcome Durga to the earth as our daughter who comes at her parents' home for her annual visits. Durga stays for four days-Shashti, Saptami, Ashtami and Nabami along with her children, Ganesha, Laxmi, Kartik and Saraswati and sets for her husband's abode on Vijaya Dashami.
Durga's mode of journey to the earth is detailed in scriptures. The modes, an elephant, a horse, palanquin, boat all signify luck or omen which influence the life on earth. The elephant signifies prosperity and good harvest while journey on a horse back indicates drought, a palanquin spells wide spread epidemic and the boat suggests flood and misery.
The worship of Devi Durga in the month of October however owes its origin to Krittibas Ojha's "Ramayana". Sree Rama hastily worships Durga, the goddess of 'Shakti', just before he sets for Lanka to rescue Sita from Ravana. According to Puranas, King Suratha, used to worship the goddess Durga in spring. Thus Durga Puja was also known as Basanti Puja. But Rama prepones the Puja and worships the Devi in autumn and that is why it is known as 'Akal Bodhon'[1] or untimely worship. Over the years, this Akal Bodhon has become the tradition among Bengalis (Bangalis) and in Bengal.
I think the concept of ‘Durga’ is quite confusing in Bengali culture. In a society like the Bengali society it is quite obvious that there must be a dominance of male in each of their activity. It happens that when ever there is a problem in our society we always approach to the female member to save our selves (both male and female). Here from it is quite clear that we are motivated by the self-interest.
Now the image of Durga in Bengali culture is “ a modest and decent Bengali lady, with her family consisting of husband Shiva and other two sons Ganesh and Kartic and two daughters Lakshmi and Swaraswati.” So from the description it is clear the concept of Durga is none but a simple housewife. So she cannot be asked to go and fight with a unknown Mahisasur, it is also to be remembered that this mahisasur cannot be killed by a male. So how can one expect that a lady will go and kill her? So it is clear that she was doing all this in a situation of unconscious mind. If we look in the instruments given to ‘Durga’ by all the other Goddess includes liquor. So she killed Mahisasur in a conquience of being dunked. Here the question of Emotion comes, a quite housewife is emotionally blackmailed by the other male member of the society and forced to face dangerous Mahisasur.
Now if we look the matter in the perspective of Durga as a village house wife having no knowledge about ‘Shastra’ and weapon going to fight against powerful mahisasur. Then quite obvious the question arises why she had been sent to fight with mahisasur? Because there is pre-exsisting condition that only lady can kill him. If suppose Durga would have failed to win then what would have the consequence of the situation she would have been caught and… So she had a fear of failure so she cannot lose. To win anyhow she was given liquor for herself and for her competitor to make her way to win a bit easy. Why she was given liquor? Because it was not possible to kill a person in a simple and general mentality. So she took the advantage of being woman! Gave her ‘Sura’ and finished him off. The emotion behind this is that a simple woman can come and kill any person until and unless she is forced to do so. She was forced to do so saying that if you don’t kill him he will kill you all. So she had no other option than to kill him. To commit murder cannot be done so easily so she was made intoxicated and then sent to kill him.
Kumari Puja
Goddess Durga arrives to her earthly abode with her four children, Laskhmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh. We worship her as the Goddess of Shakti who overpowered the evil to establish peace and prosperity on earth. She is also the daughter making her yearly visits at her parents place along with her children for four days. The Goddess is worshipped in various forms during her stay here. One of those forms is the "Kumari", the Virgin form. This mould is the most powerful form of Mahashakti.
A girl aged between one to sixteen, symbolising the Kumari form of Devi is worshipped in front of the idol of Goddess Durga. The Kumari form of the Goddess was emphasised as the most dynamic form by the devotees since yester years as Kumari Shakti is the basis of all creations. Our scriptures have emphasised Kumari Puja particularly to evolve the purity and divinity of the women of the society. Diminishing the larger than life stature of the Goddess to someone much nearer and closer is the real reason for this form of worship. Sri RamKrishna had said that Kumari is another form of Devi Durga and he himself worshipped Sarada Ma as Kumari. To imagine the Goddess in the mould of a Kumari is an age-old concept. In Mahabharata Arjuna had performed Kumari Puja. The Puranas mention the Kumari form of Chandika.
Selection of Kumari
The scriptures mention the great care with which the Kumari is selected to be worshipped as the earthly representative of Devi Durga. The qualities required in the girl has to match the dynamism, purity and serenity of the Goddess. A calm, serene and an unmarried girl with a bright disposition between one to sixteen years, who has not yet reached her puberty and is bereft of desire, worldly pleasures and anger is the right requisite for the Kumari Puja. Depending on the age of the girls they are worshipped in the various forms of the Goddess. A one year old girl is worshipped in the Sandhya form of the
Devi while a two year old is worshipped in the Saraswati mould of the Devi. A three year old girl is worshipped in the Tridha form of Durga and a four year old is worshipped in the Kalika mould of the Devi. Subhaga and Uma are the forms of Durga for a five and a six year old respectively. Malini form of the Goddess represents a seven year old while Kujjika represents a eight year old girl. Kalsondarbha and Aparajita stands for a ten year old girl and an eleven year old girl. Bhairavi is represented by a twelve year old girl and Mahalakhmi by a thirteen year old girl. Pitnayika, Khetragya and Ambika by a fourteen, fifteen and sixteen year old girl respectively.
Worshipping the Kumari
Kumari Puja is held on Ashtami or sometimes Nabami. Kumari Puja is performed in Annapurna, Jagatdhatri and even Kali Puja, as without Kumari Puja, the yagna (homa) remains incomplete. In the dawn of Ashtami or Nabami, the Kumari is bathed in Ganga water and is clad in a red benarasi saari. She is then adorned with flowers and jewelry; alta (red liquid) is applied to her feet and a 'tilak' of sindur on her forehead. The young Kumari fasts the whole day until the puja is over. On a decorated chair she is made to sit before the goddess and a flower from the Devi's hand is placed in her hand.
Placed before her are flowers, bel (wood apple) leaves, incense sticks, lamps, 'noibiddo' and other things required for puja. The purohit then chants the mantras and the sound of dhak fill the atmosphere. After the puja the divinity of the Goddess Durga is said to be seen in the girl. It is customary to gift the girl with gold, silver and clothes. To gift the Kumari is considered to be a pious act.
Kumari Puja is very much prevalent in Belur Math. In 1902, Swami Vivekananda performed Kumari puja for the first time in Belur. In the premises of the Math, in the mandap, in the presence of Sarada Ma, Swamiji worshipped nine Kumari girls. He offered pushpanjali at their feet, gave them sweets and 'dakshina' (gift). He touched their feet after the completion of the puja. Later with meditation and mantras he worshipped Sarada Ma as Goddess Durga.
[1] Worshiping in a time when she should not be called
Myths of Devi Durga an Bengali sentiment
Durga Puja, the festival of Bengalis is the worship of 'Shakti' or the divine power. Most of the religious celebrations in the world have legends surrounding them. The fables are generally the fight between the evil and the good, the dark forces eventually succumbing to the divine. Worship of Goddess Durga is based on myths where Durga symbolizes the divine power.
According To the Bengali Mythology
Mahishasura, the king of Asuras, through years of austerities, was once granted a boon by Lord Bramha, that no man or deity would be able to kill him. The immense power filled in him the urge to rule over the world. He started to terrorize heaven and the inhabitants. He pervaded the world with his battalion of Asuras and plundered and ruthlessly killed the people. Chaos and anarchy reigned. Gods were driven from heaven and Mahishasura usurped the throne.
The Gods scared and unable to combat him, requested Lord Shiva, Lord Bramha, Lord Vishnu to stop Mahishasura's tyranny. In answer, the three Gods combined their divine energy and summoned up a feminine form so brilliantly glaring that it illuminated the heavens. This combined power fell on the residence of Sage Kattyana in the krishna chaturdashi (fourteenth day of new moon) in the month of Ashwin (September-October). From the glow emerged Devi Durga, a beautiful yellow woman with ten arms riding a lion. Despite her grace she bore a menacing expression, for Durga was born to kill. Fully grown and armed by the gods, beautiful Durga was named "Kattyani" as she is born in the ashram of sage Kattyana. The sage worshipped her for sukla saptami, asthami and nabami tithi then on the tithi of Dashami she killed Masishasura. She was sent forth against Mahishasura armed by symbols of divine power; Vishnu's discus; Shiva's trident; Varuna's conchshell; Agni's flaming dart; Vayu's bow; Surya's quiver and arrow; Yama's iron rod; Indra's thunderbolt; Kubera's club and a garland of snakes from Shesha and a lion as a charger from Himalayas. A fierce battle took place. Finally when Mahishasura in the guise of a buffalo charged against Durga, the Devi beheaded the buffalo and from it emerge Mahishasura in his original form. Durga pierced his chest with the trident and relieved the world from the evil power. That is why she is 'Durgatinashini Durga', our mother goddess who destroys the evil, protects her devotees and establishes peace and prosperity on earth.
We worship Durga as the mother goddess, the epitome of 'Shakti' (divine power), to deliver us from the evil and bring peace and prosperity in our lives. But the most interesting part of Durga Puja is that, instead of placing Durga on a high alter and worshipping her from a distance the Bengalis embrace her in their hearts and make her an inseparable member of the family. We welcome Durga to the earth as our daughter who comes at her parents' home for her annual visits. Durga stays for four days-Shashti, Saptami, Ashtami and Nabami along with her children, Ganesha, Laxmi, Kartik and Saraswati and sets for her husband's abode on Vijaya Dashami.
Durga's mode of journey to the earth is detailed in scriptures. The modes, an elephant, a horse, palanquin, boat all signify luck or omen which influence the life on earth. The elephant signifies prosperity and good harvest while journey on a horse back indicates drought, a palanquin spells wide spread epidemic and the boat suggests flood and misery.
The worship of Devi Durga in the month of October however owes its origin to Krittibas Ojha's "Ramayana". Sree Rama hastily worships Durga, the goddess of 'Shakti', just before he sets for Lanka to rescue Sita from Ravana. According to Puranas, King Suratha, used to worship the goddess Durga in spring. Thus Durga Puja was also known as Basanti Puja. But Rama prepones the Puja and worships the Devi in autumn and that is why it is known as 'Akal Bodhon'[1] or untimely worship. Over the years, this Akal Bodhon has become the tradition among Bengalis (Bangalis) and in Bengal.
I think the concept of ‘Durga’ is quite confusing in Bengali culture. In a society like the Bengali society it is quite obvious that there must be a dominance of male in each of their activity. It happens that when ever there is a problem in our society we always approach to the female member to save our selves (both male and female). Here from it is quite clear that we are motivated by the self-interest.
Now the image of Durga in Bengali culture is “ a modest and decent Bengali lady, with her family consisting of husband Shiva and other two sons Ganesh and Kartic and two daughters Lakshmi and Swaraswati.” So from the description it is clear the concept of Durga is none but a simple housewife. So she cannot be asked to go and fight with a unknown Mahisasur, it is also to be remembered that this mahisasur cannot be killed by a male. So how can one expect that a lady will go and kill her? So it is clear that she was doing all this in a situation of unconscious mind. If we look in the instruments given to ‘Durga’ by all the other Goddess includes liquor. So she killed Mahisasur in a conquience of being dunked. Here the question of Emotion comes, a quite housewife is emotionally blackmailed by the other male member of the society and forced to face dangerous Mahisasur.
Now if we look the matter in the perspective of Durga as a village house wife having no knowledge about ‘Shastra’ and weapon going to fight against powerful mahisasur. Then quite obvious the question arises why she had been sent to fight with mahisasur? Because there is pre-exsisting condition that only lady can kill him. If suppose Durga would have failed to win then what would have the consequence of the situation she would have been caught and… So she had a fear of failure so she cannot lose. To win anyhow she was given liquor for herself and for her competitor to make her way to win a bit easy. Why she was given liquor? Because it was not possible to kill a person in a simple and general mentality. So she took the advantage of being woman! Gave her ‘Sura’ and finished him off. The emotion behind this is that a simple woman can come and kill any person until and unless she is forced to do so. She was forced to do so saying that if you don’t kill him he will kill you all. So she had no other option than to kill him. To commit murder cannot be done so easily so she was made intoxicated and then sent to kill him.
Kumari Puja
Goddess Durga arrives to her earthly abode with her four children, Laskhmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh. We worship her as the Goddess of Shakti who overpowered the evil to establish peace and prosperity on earth. She is also the daughter making her yearly visits at her parents place along with her children for four days. The Goddess is worshipped in various forms during her stay here. One of those forms is the "Kumari", the Virgin form. This mould is the most powerful form of Mahashakti.
A girl aged between one to sixteen, symbolising the Kumari form of Devi is worshipped in front of the idol of Goddess Durga. The Kumari form of the Goddess was emphasised as the most dynamic form by the devotees since yester years as Kumari Shakti is the basis of all creations. Our scriptures have emphasised Kumari Puja particularly to evolve the purity and divinity of the women of the society. Diminishing the larger than life stature of the Goddess to someone much nearer and closer is the real reason for this form of worship. Sri RamKrishna had said that Kumari is another form of Devi Durga and he himself worshipped Sarada Ma as Kumari. To imagine the Goddess in the mould of a Kumari is an age-old concept. In Mahabharata Arjuna had performed Kumari Puja. The Puranas mention the Kumari form of Chandika.
Selection of Kumari
The scriptures mention the great care with which the Kumari is selected to be worshipped as the earthly representative of Devi Durga. The qualities required in the girl has to match the dynamism, purity and serenity of the Goddess. A calm, serene and an unmarried girl with a bright disposition between one to sixteen years, who has not yet reached her puberty and is bereft of desire, worldly pleasures and anger is the right requisite for the Kumari Puja. Depending on the age of the girls they are worshipped in the various forms of the Goddess. A one year old girl is worshipped in the Sandhya form of the
Devi while a two year old is worshipped in the Saraswati mould of the Devi. A three year old girl is worshipped in the Tridha form of Durga and a four year old is worshipped in the Kalika mould of the Devi. Subhaga and Uma are the forms of Durga for a five and a six year old respectively. Malini form of the Goddess represents a seven year old while Kujjika represents a eight year old girl. Kalsondarbha and Aparajita stands for a ten year old girl and an eleven year old girl. Bhairavi is represented by a twelve year old girl and Mahalakhmi by a thirteen year old girl. Pitnayika, Khetragya and Ambika by a fourteen, fifteen and sixteen year old girl respectively.
Worshipping the Kumari
Kumari Puja is held on Ashtami or sometimes Nabami. Kumari Puja is performed in Annapurna, Jagatdhatri and even Kali Puja, as without Kumari Puja, the yagna (homa) remains incomplete. In the dawn of Ashtami or Nabami, the Kumari is bathed in Ganga water and is clad in a red benarasi saari. She is then adorned with flowers and jewelry; alta (red liquid) is applied to her feet and a 'tilak' of sindur on her forehead. The young Kumari fasts the whole day until the puja is over. On a decorated chair she is made to sit before the goddess and a flower from the Devi's hand is placed in her hand.
Placed before her are flowers, bel (wood apple) leaves, incense sticks, lamps, 'noibiddo' and other things required for puja. The purohit then chants the mantras and the sound of dhak fill the atmosphere. After the puja the divinity of the Goddess Durga is said to be seen in the girl. It is customary to gift the girl with gold, silver and clothes. To gift the Kumari is considered to be a pious act.
Kumari Puja is very much prevalent in Belur Math. In 1902, Swami Vivekananda performed Kumari puja for the first time in Belur. In the premises of the Math, in the mandap, in the presence of Sarada Ma, Swamiji worshipped nine Kumari girls. He offered pushpanjali at their feet, gave them sweets and 'dakshina' (gift). He touched their feet after the completion of the puja. Later with meditation and mantras he worshipped Sarada Ma as Goddess Durga.
[1] Worshiping in a time when she should not be called
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