
Here’s a picture from this years idol making at Kali Temple at CR Park.
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Navratri is usually observed with fasting ritual in most of North India, but East India and West Bengal celebrate Navratri like a food fiesta. There were many food stalls and the nine days feast just began with home cooked festival Anand Mela.
Here is my previous blog on Food I relished during the last year celebration, Nine Street Food we tried during Navratri
Anand Mela at B Block
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Navratri and Durga Puja is the nine-night festival dedicated to Ma Durga and her various forms. She brings depicts victory of Good over evil as she kills the demon Mahisashura. It is for these ten days there’s so much effort put in.
I saw so many happy faces in the Puja and here they were all successful in that happy state dancing, praying and celebrating. Bonus to all this they were getting a blessing from the most powerful Goddess Ma Durga.
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Tips
Attending the prayer ceremony is the real idea of attending the Puja then comes anything else so there is morning prayer or arti and evening prayer. Do attend the prayer. If you want to see the night lights and dance night is a better option but then you must reach the area by evening. Dance is done post the prayer or during the prayer on the beats of drums, it is called as dhanuchi dance. If possible learn the simple steps an hop inside the dance area and join the group dancing for Goddess Durga Ma, this is also one form of worship. People dress up well in the Puja and try to wear a traditional outfit in red and white or cream border.
Day Six or Shashti at GK 2 Durgotsav
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Day seven or Maha Saptami at Mela Ground, The Pocket 40, J Block
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Another Puja we attended at The Pocket 40 Navapalli Puja
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Day eight or Ashtami at D Block E Block and GK
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Day Navmi or Navmi at GK2 and Kali Mandir
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We relished the Prasad of special Veg Thali which was from the Kali Mandir / Temple.
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The tenth day or Dashmi at Mela Ground
On Dashmi the day of visarjan I was thrilled to attend the sindoor khela. Here everyone celebrates the Sindoor Khela by putting red vermilion on each other’s faces and bangles. Everyone dance is joy and wishes each other happy tenth day or ‘Shubho Bijoya’.I was so lucky to attend this event today and pray to the idols with flower vermilion beetle nut sweets etc. I purchased a plate and items for puja and walked towards the idols. I prayed to the Goddess to bless and also come back soon next year.
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Aashe Bochor Aabar Hobe
Aasche-Next
Bochor- Year
Aabar- Repeat / again
Hobe – Will happen
Goodbye Durga Puja 2018. We will wait for next year celebration now. It’s happening again soon!
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Durga Puja celebrates happiness in Delhi. How interesting that some areas fast and others feast. Between the home cooked meals, the idols and dancing, it is the perfect embodiment of celebration. What a fabulous way to spend nine nights celebrating the Goddess Durga.
So beautifully summarised and explained the 9 days spiritual journey in complete symphony with Maa Durge on grand cebrations, in company with thousands of devottees . Certainly you people are blessed by Maa Durge. Jai ho Maa
I love your thought about success, and coming to the understanding that it is about happiness rather than wealth. The Festival looks amazing, such incredible icons. I think I am more in tune with the East and West Indian version of feasting than the North Indian fasting rituals!
You really did a lot of pandals! A good informative piece on the ages old tradition.
Spiritual tourism is starting to boom recently, and it is a good opportunity to promote the local culture. India is a country rich in many culture and I would like to experience that as well. Great article and very engaging.
This festival looks amazing, I would love the chance to experience this. The idols look incredible. Great article and photos, thank you.
This is a great and colourful festival. I’ve never been to India, nor heard of this before. I enjoyed looking at all the photos too, it’s so interesting and vibrant!
If I were to visit at Durga Puja festival, I’d take your tips on attending the prayer ceremony. I believe in each festival there’s always like a prayer ceremony to give thanks, maybe just different Gods to pray at but all are very interesting. As well as I’d love to experience here the feeling of truly blessed after attending. Truly wonderful!
It seems like you had a great time during Durga Puja. I have visited a few in C P Park and Safdarjung enclave. Its one of my favorite festivals . I never missed visiting pandals during festival and the food is beyond delicious. Well captured. Loved the pictures.