How Lord Ram invoked Goddess Durga in autumn

New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) Vijayadashami, to be celebrated on Thursday, signifies the victory of good over evil, justice over injustice, truth over falsehood, and light over darkness.

The festival is celebrated across the country, commemorating the end of Ravana at the hands of Lord Ram, and also by organising Durga Puja, which ends on this day.

In one of the renditions of the Ramayana, there is a mention of a link between the two events. “Though according to texts, Durga Puja was first conducted by Raja Surath, along with Samadhi Vaishya; the time then was Spring,” said priest and Vedic astrologer Gopal Bhattacharya.

Legends have it that Raja Surath worshipped the Goddess as Mahishasuramardini Durga somewhere in Bolpur, near Santiniketan, in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.

Mahishasuramardini depicts the slayer of the “asura” or demon when he had taken on the form of a buffalo. But, “Contrary to certain beliefs, the biggest festival among Bengalis – Sharadiya Durgotsav (performed in Autumn) – is actually linked to Lord Sri Ramachandra,” explained the priest, referring to Krittivasa Ramayana.

This particular narration is found in the form of the epic rendered by Krittivas Ojha, popularly known as Krittivasa Ramayana, posted by Jawhar Sircar, a researcher in cultural, historical and anthropological subjects, and an author of several books. He has also served as Secretary, Ministry of Culture, between late 2008 and early 2012.

Durga Puja is now popular as “Sharodotsav”, or Autumn festival, which is referred to as “Akal Bodhan” or the untimely invoking of the Goddess.

It was this Autumn festival that was inscribed in 2021 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

“Durga Puja is an annual festival celebrated in September or October, most notably in Kolkata, in West Bengal of India, but also in other parts of India and amongst the Bengali diaspora. It marks the ten-day worship of the Hindu mother-goddess Durga,” begins a citation on the UNESCO website.

Autumn, according to priest Gopal, is considered the period of rest for the gods. It was the time when Lord Ram was battling Ravan, and to achieve victory and free his wife Sita, he invoked the goddess’s blessings.

Following this tradition, the goddess is awakened with the wood apple leaves (bilvapatra) ritual to commence Sharadiya Durga Puja, Gopal added.

Through the times, sometimes, between the 15th and 16th centuries, there were changes in the goddess’s characterisation among the believers. It was the time of the emergence of Vaishnavism in Bengal, which is believed to have influenced in rendering her character more domestic than aggressive.

Thus, the goddess in this form is seen as a daughter of the household, who is welcomed as if coming home, accompanied by her sons Kartik and Ganesh, and daughters Saraswati and Lakshmi. This characterisation is also found in Sircar’s references.

Therefore, the fanfare, lights, music, dance and merriment, with new clothes and savoury foods, mark the celebration.

On the day of Vijayadashami, she is believed to be returning to the abode of her husband, Lord Shiv, on Mount Kailash. The rituals on the day of her departure follow the events usually held when a household bids farewell to its daughter returning to her in-laws’ house.

Over time, Durga Puja has developed into a community festival along with its religious importance. And in that, there was the initial influence of Krittivasa Ramayana, say experts.

--IANS

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