It is said that for the Bengalis there are thirteen festivals in twelve months, which is, we Bengalis love to enjoy life.
As my subject states, Durga Puja, which starts from the 26th of this months, called Maha Shasthi, will culminate on the 30th. called Vijai Dashami.
Godess Durga, the wife of Lord Shiva, lives in Kailash Parbat ... in the Himalayas. The earth is her father's house where she comes once a year. She has two daughters - Lakshmi, who herself is the godess of wealth and Saraswati, the godess of Art and Culture, and two sons, Ganesha the God of learning and Kartik the God of war.
It takes a week for Godsess Durga to travel from Kailash to the earth, the commencement of the journey day is called the Mahalaya, the day when Pitri paksh, the evil period ends and Matri paksh, the happy period begins. Incidently, Mahalaya was on the 19/20th of this month.
One must visit Kolkata during this period to understand what festivities are all about for a Bengali. Every road is decked up and one can feel the festivities in the air.
New clothes are worn during these, morning and evening by those who can afford it and it's a holiday season for all.
Community feast comprising of Khichuri ( a preparation made of rice, lentils and spices), Labda ( a mixed vegitable), Chutney ( a sweet and sour preparation made of Tomato) and Rashogolla ( a sweeet made of cottage cheese dipped in sugar syrup) are there for all to eat during these days. On the Vijai Dashami day Durga goes back to her adobe in Kailas to come back again the next year.
