BK Singh
PRAYAGRAJ. The sacred city of Prayagraj came alive on Monday as the consecration (Prana Pratishtha) of Goddess Durga’s idols was performed with devotion and reverence, following the rich traditions of the Bengali community.
From Shahganj to Tagore Town, from Colonelganj to Mirapur, the air was steeped in incense, devotion, music, and the chants of “Jai Maa Durga!”
In true Bengali custom, priests, along with members of the community, carried out the ritual of Nabapatrika—nine symbolic leaves representing the nine forms of the Goddess, including banana, turmeric, pomegranate, ashoka, rice paddy, amaltas, jayanti, and bel.
These leaves were bathed in sacred water, wrapped in a red-and-white sari, and ceremoniously placed beside Lord Ganesha, signifying the divine presence of the Mother Goddess.
After the Prana Pratishtha, heartfelt worship was offered, and devotees showered the Mother with flowers during Pushpanjali.
Traditional Bengali sweets were lovingly placed as offerings and then distributed as prasad, spreading the joy of divine blessings among the people.
The evening resounded with the fragrance of incense and the rhythm of aarti, as rituals were performed in pandals across the city, including at Govindpur, Shastrinagar, Lukerganj, Krishnanagar, and Nehtanagar.
Adding further grandeur, in Mirapur’s Barwari Puja, women priests—Banani Pathak and Sanchita Mukherjee, specially invited from Kolkata—led the sacred rituals, reflecting the spiritual strength and inclusivity of this festival.
The highlight of the night was the beginning of the traditional three-day Dhunuchi dance, where men and women dressed in Bengali attire performed with clay incense holders filled with smoldering coconut shells and frankincense.
The sight of devotees dancing with unshaken faith became an enchanting spiritual spectacle, captured endlessly on mobile cameras.
Durga in Dance and Devotion
In Kalindipuram, the organization Sanskritik Chetna Shakti hosted a cultural evening where young girls enthralled the audience with dance performances depicting the nine forms of the Goddess Durga.
Each performance brought the divine energy of the Mother to life, earning the admiration and blessings of the gathering.
Meanwhile, at the MNNIT campus, the festival began with a soul-stirring Bhajan Sandhya, where noted singer Manoj Gupta mesmerized the crowd with devotional songs praising Maa Durga and other deities.
Beginning with a resounding Ganesh Vandana, the evening set a devotional tone that bound all hearts in reverence.
The Mother Installed at Sarvodaya Nagar
The three-day celebrations of the Gauri Durga Puja Committee, Sarvodaya Nagar, were also inaugurated on Monday. On the first day, the idol of the Goddess was installed with full rituals.
Committee media in-charge Anjaneya Tripathi informed that the following days will feature Garba nights, Devi Jagran, and a grand community feast (Bhandara), ensuring that devotion is expressed through both worship and joyous celebration.
The Larger Canvas of Durga Puja
For the Bengali population in Prayagraj, country and the world wherever Bengalis live, Durga Puja is perhaps the most awaited celebration of the year—an outdoor festival held in massive temporary structures (pandals) crafted by artisans, many of whom are brought from Bengal itself, where this Puja is celebrated as a state-wide festival.
Yet, the beauty of Prayagraj’s Durga Puja lies in its inclusivity. Not only Bengalis, but Hindus from all communities, and even people from non-Hindu faiths, flock to these pandals to witness the grandeur, artistry, and devotion that transcend barriers of language, caste, and creed.
Durga Puja is not merely a festival—it is a reenactment of a cosmic promise. According to sacred tradition, Goddess Durga was created by the combined energies of the Hindu gods to vanquish the demons who had tormented the sages engaged in meditation.
These demons destroyed whatever they encountered, spreading fear and darkness across the earth. When the Goddess appeared, radiant and fierce, she annihilated one demon after another, restoring balance and freeing the world from terror.
After her victory, she blessed the sages, assuring them that although she would return to her divine abode, she would descend to earth whenever her devotees, through prayer and devotion, called upon her to restore peace and righteousness.
This eternal bond between the Mother and her children forms the very soul of Durga Puja—the annual homecoming of the Goddess, celebrated with unbounded love, artistry, and devotion.
As the chants, dances, and offerings fill the air, one truth becomes clear: Durga Puja is not only a festival—it is the living heartbeat of spirituality, courage, and the timeless faith that the Mother will always return to protect her children.
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