In ancient Indian period there
lived a demon king named Mahishasura. His ambition was to be king of kings. To
fulfill this he knew that strength and immortality were essential. So he
decided to pursue Lord Shiva. He very well knew that Lord Shiva was a very
good hearted and sensitive god. So one day he went on penance and meditation,
which was never thought before. He continued these days and nights. Lord Shiva
was shaken by the power of his devotee’s devotion. Satisfied, thus Shiva
appeared to Mahishasura. Shiva enquired what he wanted from him. Mahishasura
saluted Lord Shiva and prayed for immortality. Shiva confirmed strength, but
also mentioned that nature will take it’s own course. Hearing this Mahishasura
said, “ If it be so, then may I die at the hands of an innocent
woman. “ Lord Siva at once
granted him his wish.
Right from here he waged war on
the world and conquered. Then he ordered his army to attack “Triloke”, the
Heaven, an abode of Gods. The heavenly gods could not resist to the onslaught
of Mahishasura army and fled. They came to Lord Shiva, Brahma and Mahishasura.
They complained that Lord Shiva had forgetfully given a boon to Mahishasura
and non-could face him. Lord Shiva got angry because Mahishasura had misused
his blessed boon. Then and there he took a decision to terminate Mahishasura
according to agreement. Light oozed out from his third eye, likewise from
Brahma and Mahishasura. The lights converged to a point and Durga Devi was
born.
Devi Durga first attacked the
front line army of Mahishasura. As time passed news reached the demon king
that his army has been defeated. He was furious and took the form of a huge
buffalo and attacked Devi Durga. With an intension to finish fast, Devi Durga
noosed the buffalo, but he changed himself to a lion. At this instant she
deployed her strength and destroyed. Again Mahishasura took the form of a
gigantic ferocious elephant, Durga Devi again overpowered him. Yet again
Mahishasura changed form this time as in the first that of a buffalo. Devi
Durga step on his back and put an end to Mahishasura. After conquering
Mahishasura, Durga Devi released all the Gods in captivity, in turn the gods
chanted praises and devotion to the might of Durga Devi.
It is said that there lived a king
called Daksha who reigned the Himalayan Plains. His wife was Menoka and their
daughter was Uma. Uma from her childhood had worshiped Lord Shiva with the
intension to marry him. Please with Uma’s devotion, Shiva treaded to the
world and married Uma. Daksha didn’t like Shiva’s way of dressing. Hence,
he did not allowed his daughter to go with Lord Shiva to Kailash, his home. In
days to come Daksha arranged for a “yagya” in which he invited all but
Lord Shiva. Uma, ashamed of his behavior towards her husband decided to
fast unto death. On learning of his wife’s demise, Lord Shiva came down to
earth once again. He took the still body of Uma on his shoulder and began to
dance so as to destroy the Earth. The super gods witnessed this but couldn’t
stop Lord Shiva. Narayana, the most wises among all knew that destruction is
bound to come if he is not stop. So Narayana fired his most dangerous weapon,
the Chakkra. He controlled this and cut the body of Uma into fifty-four pieces
while Lord Shiva was doing the “Shiv Tandav” Narayana knew that unless the
body on Uma was not thrown away from his shoulder, he would keep dancing in
anger. It was only when the last bit of Uma’s body felt that Lord Shiva
stopped his dance and thus Narayana saved the earth from destruction. The cut
portions of Uma’s body felt in different places and these places
today are known as “Sakti Pith” or place of pilgrimage. These Piths
are like Kalighat in Calcutta, Kamakhya Devi in Guahati, Rameshwara in the
West and many more. However Lord Shiva Revived Uma and took her away with him.
Today it is believed that Uma with her children Kartika, Ganesha, Saraswati
and Laxmi do visit her parents in the “Sharat Kaal”. Hence this Durga Devi
Puja is to symbolize her visit to Earth.
Durga Puja is celebrated
twice a year as follows in West Bengal :
Conventional
: The conventional Durga Puja, which is
celebrated in the Basant Kaal, is usually known as Basanti Puja. This Puja
used to be offered by King Ravana of Lanka. And in Bengal it is celebrated as
a homely occasion.
Unconventional
: “AKALBODHAN
“ this puja usually take place in the month of Ashwin i.e. in between the
month of September & October. It is believed that this Puja took Place
when Lord Ram asked Durga Devi to give him strength so that he could rescue
his wife Sita who was abducted by Ravana, the King of Lanka. Since then this
Puja was celebrated with Pump and Posh as Lord Ram had defeated Ravana.
