Durga Puja
| Durga Puja | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Durgotsava, Sharadotsava |
| Status | Public holiday in Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha, Tripura, Bihar, Assam and in the countries Bangladesh and Nepal Optional holiday in Pakistan |
| Genre | Religious and cultural festival |
| Date | 28 September to 2 October 2025 (Dates vary annually per the Hindu lunisolar calendar) |
| Begins | Mahalaya |
| Ends | Vijaya Dashami |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Founders | Rama, according to the legends |
| Participants | Mainly Eastern, Northeast India and Hindus in Bangladesh and Nepal |
| Major events | Worshipping Hindu deities, family and other social gatherings, shopping and gift-giving, feasting, pandal visiting, and cultural events |
| Main observation | Ceremonial worship of Goddess Durga |
| Explanatory note on Hindu festival dates | |
|---|---|
The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. A lunar day is uniquely identified by three calendar elements: māsa (lunar month), pakṣa (lunar fortnight) and tithi (lunar day).
Furthermore, when specifying the masa, one of two traditions are applicable, viz. amānta / pūrṇimānta. If a festival falls in the waning phase of the moon, these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different (but successive) masa. A lunar year is shorter than a solar year by about eleven days. As a result, most Hindu festivals occur on different days in successive years on the Gregorian calendar. | |
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Durga Puja (ISO: Durgā Pūjā, Assamese pronunciation: [duɹɡäpuzä] ⓘ, Bengali pronunciation: [d̪uɾɡapud͡ʒa] ⓘ), also known as Durgotsava or Sharadotsava, is a major Hindu festival honouring the goddess Durga and commemorating her victory over Mahishasura. In 2021, 'Durga Puja in Kolkata' was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The festival is observed in the Indian calendar in the month of Ashvin (September–October) on the Hindu luni-solar calendar. It lasts ten days, with the final five being most prominent. Even though Durga Puja and Navaratri are both dedicated to the Hindu goddess Durga and are observed simultaneously, they are not the same festival.
The puja is performed in homes and public spaces with temporary structures (known as pandals), religious recitations, cultural performances, visiting, feasting, and processions; it is central to the Shaktism tradition.
Scriptures portray Durga's defeat of Mahishasura, often interpreted as the triumph of good over evil; some traditions also link the festival with post-monsoon harvest themes. Durga Puja coincides with Navaratri and Dussehra celebrations observed by other traditions of Hinduism.
Alongside Durga, devotees commonly venerate Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya. Major public celebrations run from Mahalaya to Vijayadashami and conclude with immersion of the images; practices vary by region.
Durga Puja is an old tradition with medieval textual references on Shaktism and detailed manuals from at least the 14th century; elite and community forms expanded under early modern and colonial patronage.