Popular legend has it that Uma, daughter of the king of Himalaya, Daksha, had married Shiva without her father's consent. Daksha did not accept the marriage and insulted Shiva by not inviting him to the yajna he conducted. Uma put off by her father's behavior chose to embrace death. Furious, Shiva picked up Uma's dead body and started dancing in frenzy. Vishnu pacified Shiva by reviving Uma as Durga. Each year Durga comes with her children to visit her parents on earth, leaving her husband at Kailash. Originally the Durga puja was celebrated during spring as Basantapuja. 'Ramayana' says that when Rama was engaged in the fierce battle with Ravana, he wanted to secure the blessings of victory from Devi Durga. He held the puja to evoke the goddess during autumn, thereby worshipping Durga untimely (in Akal). Hence this puja is called Akalbodhon. It was customary to worship Durga with 100 neel kamals (blue lotuses). Rama could gather only 99 of them so he offered one of his eyes as a substitute of the 100th lotus. Pleased with his devotion Durga blessed him. The battle started on Saptami and Ravana was killed at the Shandhikshan (in between) Ashtami and Navami. He was cremated on Dashami. Therefore the four days of the puja that we celebrate ends in the triumph of the good over evil.

Devi Durga
The symbol of ultimate power Mahishasura, the king of demons, was once granted a boon by Lord Shiva, that no man or deity would be able to kill him. This gave him an immense sense of power. He started to terrorise the inhabitants of the earth and the heaven. He plundered and ruthlessly killed the people. There was chaos and anarchy everywhere. Mahishasura drove away the Gods from heaven and usurped the throne. The Gods defeated and scared requested the holy trinity (Lord Shiva, Lord Bramha, Lord Vishnu) to stop Mahishasura's tyranny. Heading to their requests the trinity unleashed their power, which 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. The different gods present contributed their share of energy in the form of weapons to this Goddess. She had 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. Thus was born Durga, the eternal Shakti. Immediately she set forth to combat Mahishasura. A fierce battle took place. When Mahisasur saw that his army and commanders were fast perishing perished, he reverted to his own animal form, the wild buffalo and charged against Durga. The Devi pushed the demon king to the ground and 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.

The Puja Days

The hot summer days give way to fresh autumnal days, the artists at Kumartuli get busy making the idols, the craftsmen from different part of the state start amalgamating in Kolkata for erecting the pandals, shops and markets start getting flooded with eager buyers, restaurants start getting filled to the hilt with tired and hungry shoppers, the buses are crowded with people either going for shopping or coming back from a hearty shopping spree, office goers start counting the days left for the holidays, travel agents start arranging tours for their clients…the festive spirit sets in at least a month before the actual celebration.

The four days of puja are filled with unbound joy and celebration. Dressed and decorated the city bears a festive and merry look. Puja pandals duplicating various landmark buildings of the world mushroom all over the city. So while on one hand you can see a White House jostling with a Sheeshmahal or a Red Fort on the other you can find a replica of a dilapidated temple complete with cracked walls, banyan tree roots and even cobwebs recreated in cloth! Nights are particularly colourful. The whole city, every nook and corner is flooded with lights of myriad hue. The air tinged with crisp autumnal chill is a pot pourri of different smells - the fragrance of dhup and dhuno, the different kinds of perfumes varying from the very desi Kanta scent to the phoren ones, the aroma wafting from the different food stalls and to top it all the mild scent of the shiuli flower. Whether it is 2 O'clock in the night or seven, the scene is the same - people, people and more people.

Mahalaya

Mahalaya, which falls seven days before the Puja marks the beginning of Puja. This day marks the beginning of the Devipaksha. It is the day of invocation. On this day people pray to Goddess Durga to arrive on earth to ward off all evils. The ritual of drawing the eyes on the image of the Goddess, called 'chakkhu-daan', also takes place on this day. Symbolising the process of infusing the image with the power of vision, this is done on Mahalaya, the day of the new moon. Since time immemorial, on the dawn of 'Mahalaya', homes in Bengal reverberate with the solemn notes of the recorded voice of late Birendra Krishna Bhadra narrating the birth of Goddess Durga and her eventual fight with Mahisasura.

Shasthi

The main Puja starts from Shasthi, which is the sixth day after the new moon, when Devi Durga is welcomed with much fanfare and gusto. The rituals are similar to that of welcoming a new bride. The face of the Durga is unveiled in the 'Bodhon' ritual.

Shaptami

The image of the Goddess is infused with life. Early in the morning, the pran of the Devi is put inside the image after it is brought from a nearby river through the medium of a banana plant, called the 'Kola Bou'. The Kola Bou, bathed and draped in a new yellow saree, resembles a newly wed bride.

Ashtami

Universally accepted as the culminating point of the four-day celebrations. It was on this day that Durga had killed Mahishasura. Devotees recite the mantras and offer flowers to Devi Durga (pushpanjali) and pray for her blessings. Earlier animals used to be sacrificed on this day, but now a days, white gourd, banana and cucumber have replaced the animals. The ritual of 'Sandhipuja' marks Sandhikkhan, the juncture between Ashtami and Nabami. 108 'deeps' are lighted during 'Sandhipuja'. At this time Devi Durga took the role of Devi Chamunda to kill the Mahishasura (the Buffalo Demon). Elaborate Bhog, or community feast is also arranged by many pandals.

Navami

It is the last day of the Durga Puja. The main attraction of Navami is the Maha-Arati held in the evening. During this day also bhog is offered to Goddess and later distributed among the devotees.

Dashami

Dashami is the day when Goddess Durga accompanied with her children sets for Kailash, her husband's abode. With a heavy heart the image of the Devi is immersed in a river (Bisharjan), and people bid a sorrowful farewell to the Mother Goddess. 'Sindur Khela' (vermilion game) is a major event of Dashami. Married women apply vermilion to each other and greet each other with sweets.

Making of idols

It all starts with a few sticks of bamboo. Then comes the second step - wrapping the idol with hay and tying the ends with ropes. No this is not a do-it-yourself class on scarecrows. This is the basic structure of an idol. Then starts the clay covering. Pounds of clay are put over this structure and then deft hands nimbly mould out a beautiful idol out of the shapeless mound of clay. After the clay modelling part is over and the idol has dried sufficiently the painting begins. First the idol is painted white and then with the various colours. Then comes the final stage - the idol is dressed up in all finery and is armed with her weapons. She is now ready to vanquish the evil.