Aeons ago, Mahishasura, the king of demons, through years of austerities, was once granted a boon by Lord Shiva, 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 it’s inhabitants. He pervaded the world with his battalion of Asuras (demons) and plundered and ruthlessly killed the people. Chaos and anarchy reigned everywhere. 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. Angered by the atrocities committed by Mahishasur, the Trinity unleashed their rage in the form of luminous energy. Great flames issued forth in all directions, the fires illuminating all three worlds: heaven, earth and the nether-world in penetrating light. The energy of their fires coalesced at a single point to take the form of a young woman. Her face was from the light of Shiva. Her ten arms were from Lord Vishnu. Her legs were from Lord Brahma. All the Gods present contributed their share of energy to this Goddess, and thus Durga, the eternal mother, was born. Despite her grace she bore a menacing expression, for Durga was born to kill. Fully grown and beautiful Durga was immediately armed by the gods and sent forth against Mahishasura bearing in each of her ten hands, symbols of their divine power. Vishnu’s discus; Shiva’s trident; Varuna’s conch shell; 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; Viswakarma’s axe and a lion as a charger from Himalayas. The demons had little time to admire the radiant visage of Durga before she engaged them on the battlefield. She first met the army of Chikasura and then that of Chamara, Mahishasura’s chief commanders, destroying both in great battles. At first, confident of his overwhelming power, Mahishasura held in reserve his personal demon-army. However, it soon became obvious to him that even his personal guard must be completely committed or he would surely be cast out of heaven. A fierce battle took place. Amidst this chaos, Durga roamed the battlefield on her mighty lion. From her divine breath, her army was constantly replenished with new warriors, each able, brave and resolute. With her bell she confused the demons. As his army and commanders perished, Mahisasur reverted once more to his own animal form, the wild buffalo. He retreated into the mountains where he hurled boulders at Durga with his horns. The Mother of the Universe drank the divine nectar, gift of Kuvera, and transformed into Devi Chandika, the most ferocious form of the Goddess. Finally when Mahishasura in the guise of a buffalo charged against Durga, the Devi leaped at Mahishasura, pushing him to the ground with her left leg, beheaded the buffalo and from it emerged 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. According to the Puranas (Hindu Scripture), Devi got her name ‘Durga’ after she killed a mighty demon named Durga. There are other stories and anecdotes where Devi has appeared in different times and in different names to abolish evil spirits and to reestablish peace, love and prosperity on earth. In another description, she defeated and killed ‘Raktabeeja’, a tricky demon, a single drop of whose blood could create innumerable demons.

We worship Devi 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 however owes its origin to Sree Rama. He hastily worships Durga, the Goddess of ‘Shakti’, just before he sets for Lanka to rescue Sita from Ravana. Before his final battle with Ravana, Rama seeked the blessings of Devi Durga for defeating Ravana. He was given to understand that the Goddess would be pleased only if she was worshipped with one hundred ‘Neel Kamal’ (blue lotuses). After travelling and searching the whole world, Rama could gather only ninety-nine ‘Neel Kamals’. So intense was his devotion that he finally decided to offer one of his eyes, which resembled blue lotuses. Devi Durga, being pleased with the devotion of Rama, appeared and blessed him for the battle. The fierce and decisive battle started on the day of ‘Saptami’ and Ravana was finally defeated and killed on the ‘Sandhikshan’, the crossover period between Ashtami (the next day) and Navami (the day after). Ravana was cremated on Dashami. 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’ or untimely worship. Over the years, this Akal Bodhon has become the tradition among Bengalis (Bangalis) and in Bengal.

Seven days before the Puja, from the day of Mahalaya starts Devipaksha. The day is observed as ‘Mahalaya’, the day of invocation. In the dark night of amabasya (new moon), people pray to Goddess Durga to arrive in the earth to ward off all evils. People take a holy dip in the river Ganga at dawn and pray for the departed souls - the act is called ‘Tarpan’. The ritual of drawing the eyes on the image of the Goddess is called ‘chakkhu-daan’. Symbolising the process of infusing the image with the power of vision, this is done on Mahalaya, the day of the new moon. Since the early 1930s , on the dawn of ‘Mahalaya’, homes in Bengal reverberate with the immortal verses from Chandipath - chanting of the hymns of Chandi Kabya in the recorded voice of late Birendra Krishna Bhadra; and aired by All India Radio in a programme termed as ‘Mahisasura Mardini’, narrating the birth of Goddess Durga and her eventual fight with Mahisasura. Chandipath narrates that She is the primeval source of power, all qualities reside in her. She is one and yet known by many names. She is Narayani, Brahmani, Maheshwari, Shivaduti and She is the fierceful ‘Chamunda’, decked with a garland of skulls. The Goddess Chandika is eternal. She has no birth, no definite physical form. She assumes a manifestation of majestic might only to restore the process of Creation from the terrible ‘asuras’ or evil incarnates.