A reference guide to Durga, the idol, Mahishasura, pandals, rituals and the festival

Durga Puja is an annual Hindu festival centred on the worship of Goddess Durga. It is particularly associated with West Bengal and Kolkata in eastern India, but is also observed in other parts of India and by Bengali communities in many countries.

The festival commemorates Durga's victory over Mahishasura, a powerful figure in Hindu mythology. In Bengal, the religious observance is accompanied by temporary architecture, sculpture, music, traditional crafts, community events and public celebrations.

For an international visitor, Durga Puja can therefore be understood through several connected elements: the goddess, the mythology, the ritual, the idol, the pandal, the community and the immersion ceremony.

UNESCO inscribed Durga Puja in Kolkata on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021.

Who is Durga?

Durga is a major goddess in Hindu traditions and is associated with divine power, protection and the defeat of destructive forces.

The central mythology of Durga Puja concerns her battle with Mahishasura, a powerful demon who threatens the gods and the cosmic order. Durga defeats him after a prolonged battle.

In Bengali Durga Puja, she is commonly represented as a warrior goddess accompanied by a lion and shown defeating Mahishasura.

Durga is also associated with Shakti, the divine feminine power in Hindu thought. Her theological significance varies across Hindu traditions, regions and texts.

What is a puja?

The Sanskrit-derived word puja refers to a Hindu act of worship.

A puja may include prayers, mantras, offerings, lamps, incense, flowers, food and other ritual practices. It can take place in a home, temple or public religious setting.

During Durga Puja, priests perform prescribed rituals before the image of Durga, while devotees offer prayers and participate in the ceremonies.

Thus, Durga Puja means the ritual worship of Durga.

Why is there an idol of Durga?

The physical representation of a Hindu deity used for worship is commonly called a murti.

During Durga Puja, artisans create a temporary clay image of Durga and her accompanying deities. The image becomes the central focus of the festival's religious rituals.

In Kolkata's traditional practice, specialist image-makers construct the figures from clay. UNESCO identifies the making of these images as an important part of the festival's craft tradition.

The idol is therefore both a religious object and a significant work of traditional craftsmanship.

Why does Durga have multiple arms?

Durga is traditionally depicted with multiple arms, commonly ten in Bengali Durga Puja.

The multiple arms are symbolic rather than anatomical. They represent her extraordinary divine power and allow her to hold different weapons associated with the gods.

Common attributes include the trident, sword, bow, arrow, discus and conch, although the precise arrangement can vary.

The image communicates that Durga possesses powers beyond those of an ordinary human being.

Who is Mahishasura?

Mahishasura is the demon defeated by Durga in the mythology central to Durga Puja.

His name is associated with mahisha, meaning buffalo, and asura, a term used in Hindu mythology for a class of powerful beings.

He is traditionally represented in a buffalo-associated form, while Durga is shown defeating him.

The scene forms the central narrative of the Bengali Durga Puja image.

Why are four other deities shown beside Durga?

A traditional Bengali Durga Puja arrangement generally includes four other deities:

• Lakshmi, associated with prosperity and abundance

• Saraswati, associated with knowledge, learning, music and the arts

• Ganesha, associated with auspicious beginnings and the removal of obstacles

• Kartikeya, associated in different Hindu traditions with warfare, courage and martial power

In Bengali tradition, these four deities are commonly presented as Durga's children.

This family arrangement is distinctive to the cultural form of Durga Puja associated with Bengal. Interpretations and relationships among Hindu deities can differ across regions and traditions.

What is a Durga Puja pandal?

A pandal is a temporary structure created for a religious or cultural event.

During Durga Puja, the pandal houses the Durga idol and provides the setting for worship.

In Kolkata, pandals can range from simple community structures to elaborate temporary architectural installations. Their designs may draw from architecture, history, traditional crafts, mythology, contemporary subjects or artistic concepts.

UNESCO identifies large-scale installations and pavilions as characteristic features of Durga Puja in Kolkata.

A pandal is therefore more than a shelter. It is part of the visual and architectural expression of the festival.

Why do people visit multiple pandals?

Different communities organize their own Durga Pujas.

Each Puja may have a different:

• idol design

• pandal

• decorative scheme

• lighting design

• artistic theme

• cultural programme

Visitors therefore travel between different Puja venues, particularly in Kolkata.

This practice is commonly known as pandal hopping.

The religious focus remains Durga, but the artistic interpretation can differ from one location to another.

What happens during Durga Puja?

The festival follows a ritual calendar based on the Hindu lunar calendar. The principal days of the Bengali festival are commonly identified as:

Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Dashami.

The season is traditionally associated with Mahalaya, which precedes the main days of worship.

Important rituals include prayers, offerings, devotional ceremonies, arati, chanting and other prescribed practices.

One of the best-known ritual moments is Sandhi Puja, performed at the transition between Ashtami and Navami.

The exact rituals and their performance can vary according to tradition and the type of Puja.

What is the role of the dhak?

The dhak is a traditional Bengali drum, and dhakis are the drummers who play it.

Dhak drumming is strongly associated with Durga Puja in Bengal and accompanies important parts of the festival.

Its distinctive sound has become one of the defining auditory features of Bengali Durga Puja.

Why is the festival connected with family and community?

Durga Puja takes place in both family-based and community settings.

Community Pujas are organized by local committees, neighbourhood groups, clubs and other organizations. They bring together priests, artisans, musicians, volunteers, organizers and visitors.

This collective structure is an important part of the festival's modern public form.

UNESCO identifies families, Puja committees, priests, drummers, artists and craftspersons among the communities involved in maintaining Durga Puja in Kolkata.

Why is Durga sometimes described as returning home?

In Bengali tradition, Durga is associated with the idea of returning to her maternal home during the festival.

This gives Durga Puja a strong cultural association with homecoming, family reunion and departure.

The interpretation is especially significant in Bengal, where Durga may be viewed not only as a powerful goddess but also as a daughter returning to her parental home with her children.

This cultural idea helps explain the emotional significance of the festival's final farewell.

Why is the Durga idol immersed?

The final immersion of the idol is called visarjan.

At the end of the festival, the Durga image is taken in procession and immersed in a river, lake or other body of water.

The immersion marks the conclusion of the worship and the departure of the goddess.

In the traditional Bengali cycle described by UNESCO, clay images are created before the festival and immersed at its conclusion. The cycle connects creation, worship and return.

The temporary nature of the image is therefore an essential part of the tradition.

What is Vijaya Dashami?

Vijaya Dashami, also called Dashami, is the final day of the main Durga Puja observance.

It marks the conclusion of the festival and is associated with Durga's victory over Mahishasura.

In Bengal, the day also includes rituals of farewell and social greetings before the immersion procession.

Why does Durga Puja combine religion, art and community life?

Durga Puja brings several forms of cultural practice together.

The religious tradition provides the mythology and rituals.

The idol represents the deity and becomes the focus of worship.

The pandal provides a temporary architectural setting.

Artisans and craftspeople create the images and decorations.

Musicians contribute traditional performances such as dhak drumming.

Community organizations coordinate the public celebrations.

Visitors and residents participate in the festival through worship, social gatherings and visits to different Pujas.

This combination of religious practice, craftsmanship, temporary architecture and community participation is one of the defining characteristics of Durga Puja in Kolkata. UNESCO recognized these interconnected traditions when it inscribed the festival on its Representative List in 2021.

Durga Puja in simple terms

For someone encountering the festival for the first time:

Durga is the goddess at the centre of the festival.

Mahishasura is the demon she defeats.

The multiple arms symbolize her extraordinary divine powers.

Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya accompany her in the traditional Bengali representation.

Puja means ritual worship.

The murti is the physical image used as the focus of worship.

The pandal is the temporary structure built for the Puja.

Pandal hopping means visiting different Puja venues.

Dhak is the traditional Bengali drum associated with the festival.

Visarjan is the immersion of the idol at the end of the festival.

Vijaya Dashami is the final day of the main celebration.

Together, these elements explain the basic structure of Durga Puja.

Durga Puja as living cultural heritage

Durga Puja is not a single monument or historical object. It is a living tradition practised and recreated each year.

Its continuity depends on the people who make the idols, perform the rituals, construct the pandals, organize community Pujas, play traditional music and participate in the celebrations.

UNESCO inscribed Durga Puja in Kolkata on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021. Its documentation identifies the festival as a public expression of religion and art and highlights its artisans, designers, temporary installations, traditional drumming and community participation.

Durga Puja can therefore be understood as a religious festival, an artistic tradition and a form of community cultural practice that is renewed each year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Durga Puja?

Durga Puja is an annual Hindu festival dedicated to Goddess Durga and centred on her victory over Mahishasura.

Where is Durga Puja celebrated?

Durga Puja is celebrated in many parts of India and by Bengali communities internationally. Kolkata and West Bengal are particularly associated with the festival.

Who is Goddess Durga?

Durga is a major Hindu goddess associated with divine power, protection and the defeat of destructive forces.

Why does Durga have ten arms?

The multiple arms symbolize Durga's extraordinary divine power and show her carrying different divine weapons.

Who is Mahishasura?

Mahishasura is the demon defeated by Durga in the mythology central to the festival.

Who are the four deities beside Durga?

The traditional Bengali arrangement includes Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya.

What is a pandal?

A pandal is a temporary structure created to house and present a Durga Puja. In Kolkata, many are elaborate temporary architectural installations.

Why do people visit different pandals?

Different communities create different idols, pandals, decorations and artistic themes, making each Puja a distinct experience.

Why is the Durga idol immersed?

The immersion, or visarjan, marks the end of the festival and the departure of the goddess.

Is Durga Puja a religious or cultural festival?

It is fundamentally a Hindu religious festival, but its public form also encompasses sculpture, architecture, music, craftsmanship and community activity.

Is Durga Puja recognized by UNESCO?

Yes. Durga Puja in Kolkata was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021.