Bangali der Pujo-Parbon : "Serar - Sera"

West Bengal is a land of festivals (Utsav).The line “Baro Mase ,Tero Parbon” is very much famous for almost every Bengali household.It means That there are almost thirteen festivals celebrated in twelve months.Almost all the festivals of every religion is given the equal priority and celebrated with a religious sentiment.On the other hand , besides every festival the Bengali like to maintain their delicious foods ( bangalir bhuri-bhoj).

                                            

                                                    

Some of the Major festivals include :

•           Durga Puja
•           Kali Puja  
•           Saraswati Puja 
•           Jagaddhatri Puja 
•           Lakshmi Puja
•           Poush Parbon or Makar Sankranti
•           Janmashtami 
•           Maha Shivratri
•           Vishwakarma Puja 
•           Charak Pujo
•           Neel Shashti

Let us discuss about all the festivals.

·         Durga Puja – Durga Pujo is one of the greatest and awaiting festival of West Bengal.Durga Puja festival is celebrated from the sixth to tenth day in the month of October. Durga Puja is not only the Festival but also the medium of bridging the gap between the people. This period falls in the fortnight corresponding to the festival is called Devi Paksha , which starts from Mahalaya and ends with Dushhera (Dasami).

Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura.It synbolises Good over Evil.The festival celebration  starts with family and other social gatherings, shopping and gift-giving, feasting, pandal-visiting, lighting decorations, cultural dance, idol immersion etc. Along with the worship of Shiva and Devi Durga , the worship is also done to Lakshmi, Saraswati with Ganesha and Kartikeya, who are considered to be Durga's children.

Durga puja mood starts off with the Mahishasuramardini – a two-hour radio programme that has been popular with the community.  Bengalis traditionally wake up at 4 in the morning on Mahalaya day to listen to the enchanting words of Maa Durga.                                                                                     

                                                  

                                

  Kali Puja - Kali Puja , also known as Shyama Puja is a festival dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali, celebrated in the Month of November after we are having Durga Pujo and Lakshmi Pujo, especially in West Bengal. This is a one day occasion followed by Diwali and Bhai Dooj (Bhai Phonta). She is worshipped at night with Tantric rites and mantras. She is prescribed offerings of red hibiscus flowers, animal blood in a skull, sweets, rice and lentils, fish and meat. The temple is visited by thousands of devotees who come here to worship goddess.

                       

                                                                   

                                                  

 Saraswati Puja - Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning. The goddess Saraswati is often depicted as a beautiful woman dressed in pure white, often seated on a white lotus and white swan , which symbolizes light, knowledge and truth. The festival is mainly celebrated in the season of Vasant (Basanto).In this festival almost every household worship Ma Saraswati by keeping the books and copies in front of the idol.We also do Hawan in our houses. The colour “YELLOW” symbolises the festival ,on this day the people are seen to be at the outside followed by yellow coloured dress.  Hindus celebrate this festival in temples, homes and educational institutes.

                                             

Jagaddhatri Puja - Jagaddhatri  is an aspect of the Hindu goddess Durga, who is particularly worshipped in the West Bengal.  It is also referred to as another Durga Puja as it also starts on Asthami tithi and ends on Dashami tithi. She rides a lion standing on the dead Karindrasura,. Jagadhatri Puja is very popular in Krishnanagar, Rishra, Chandannagar, Bhadreswar, Hooghly(West Bengal). Jagaddhatri or Jagadhatri puja is one of the festivals observed by the devotees of 'Durga' - the Goddess of Power.Chandannagore Jagaddhatri Pujo is very famous in the state, the kind of lighting they do is the world famous ceremony.Thousands of people visit the place from the beginning to dashami.

          

                                                                                                         

  Lakshmi Puja - Lakshmi Puja is a Hindu religious festival just after the celebration of Durga Pujo. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and Vishnu's wife, visits her devotees and bestows gifts and blessings upon each of them. To welcome the Goddess, devotees clean their houses, decorate them with finery and lights, and prepare sweet treats and delicacies as offerings.During Lakshmi pujo ,the devotees bring the idol of goddess and place her on a desk and the woman in the house makes Rangoli (ALPANA) i.e.the legs of Ma Lakshmi with the grain stick. Lamps are lit in the evening to welcome the goddess as they are believed to light up her path. The third day of Diwali is believed to be the most auspicious day; this is when Lakshmi Puja is performed.

 Poush Parbon or Makar Sankranti - Makar Sankranti , according to the Hindu calendar, marks the transition of the sun . Makara Sankranti is a solar event making it one of the few Hindu festivals. The  Bengalis in the month of Poush  makes their favourite sweet popularly known as PULI – PITHA. The last day of Poush is celebrated as Poush Sankranti  in West Bengal. On this day Hindus  from different parts of the country gather at Gangasagar for taking a bath in the River Ganga for the sake of their ancestors. This is the most awaited day for all the Bengali sweet lovers as various sweet delicacies are prepared. Since olden times, mothers, grandmothers used to make  Patishapta,  Pithas, Puli pithas, Malpuas and various other types of pithas.

 Vishwakarma Puja - Vishwakarma Day  is a day of celebration for Vishwakarma, a Hindu god, the divine architect. He is considered as the Creator of the world. He is known as the creator of many fabulous weapons for the gods. He is also called the divine carpenter. It is generally celebrated in the months of September (approximately on 17^th September )in West Bengal and other states of India. Workers also pray for the smooth functioning of various machines.

   

                      

 Shivratri Puja - On the thirteenth day of the waning moon in the month of  Phagun falls the festivals of Mahashivratri, symbolising the wedding day of Shiv and Parvati. Mahashivratri takes place in February and March. This day the married women and unmarried girls perform puja for good husbands, marital bliss and a long and prosperous married life. The Puja room is cleaned up and the images of Ganesh, Shiv and Parvati are placed in the centre of the room. A lamp is lit in front of the images and agarbattis are also lit. The people offered puja in four "prahars”  with  milk , curd, ghee and honey. Puja is performed and fruits and flowers are offered.

                                                        

                               

 Charak Puja - Charak Puja is a Hindu folk festival held in  West Bengal on the last day of the month of Chaitra . The festival is mainly done in the rural areas. People believe that the festival will carry prosperity by eliminating the sorrow and sufferings of the previous year. The festival is actually a festival for offerings to Lord Shiva. the festival takes place on the mid night of Chaitra Songkranti. In this occasion , the villagers after  praying in front of god, they pierce their skin with shard iron rods , sometimes even they jump on the rod kept in  a straight line.

    

      

   

·         Janmashtami Puja – Krishna Janmashtami  is an annual celebration of the birth of  the Hindu deity Krishna . It is generally celebrated in the month of August-September.  . Janmaashtami popularly called  as Dahi Handi, is celebrated as an event which involves making a human pyramid and breaking an earthen pot filled with buttermilk .In Bengal mostly the women section of the society go to the temple to worship Lord Krishna.He is being offered with butter or curd with Mishri (sweet in taste),fruits. People keep day long fast.The candle is lited in front of the God to seek his blessings. In Westbengal at Nabadwip Janmashtami Festival is very famous. 

       

             

   Neel Shashti – Neel Shasthi is the day in the Bengali month of Chaitra when Bengalis celebrate the marriage of Lord Shiva with Devi Parvati by offering puja to the Lord. The women by keeping fast , visit the nearby temple of the Lord Shiva & pour milk over the ' Shiva lingam' & offer Bel leaves & Datura flower and other  flowers. Inscence sticks and lamp are lighted & fruits & sweets are offered.