Sarbojanin Durgapuja 2008, Switzerland
Please note: CHANGE OF VENUE
New Venue: Schützenhaus Thalwil
Dorfstrasse 65
8800 Thalwil (ZH)
More information (Venue photo, location map, public & private transport) to follow soon.
Apart from & in spite of this, Puja is taking place with its full swing & colour as planned.
Puja Days
Purohit: Shri Joydev Bhattacharya, Kolkata
Mahasaptami: Monday
6th October 2008
Puja Start: 08:00 a.m.
Pushpanjali: 11:30 a.m.
Sandhyarati: 18:30 p.m.
Cultural Program: 19:30 p.m.
Mahashtami: Tuesday
7th October 2008
Puja Start: 08:00 a.m.
Pushpanjali: 11:30 a.m.
Sandhyarati: 18:30 p.m.
Sandhipuja: Tuesday
7th October 2008
08:35 p.m. till 09:23 p.m.
Mahanavami: Wednesday
8th October 2008
Puja Start: 08:00 a.m.
Pushpanjali: 11:30 a.m.
Sandhyarati: 18:30 p.m.
Cultural Program: 19:30 p.m.
Bijayadashami: Thursday
9th October 2008
Puja Start: 08:30 a.m.
Pushpanjali: 10:30 a.m.
Bisorjon: 11:00 a.m.
Sindur Khela: 03:00 p.m.
Contacts
Anybody and everybody who are interested to participate in this Durgapuja are kindly requested to contact the Committee at the following e-mail address: mail@swisspuja.com. We will definitely respond to you.
Durgapuja Committee 2008
President:
Mr. Gautam Sengupta
+41 43 810 8317
president@swisspuja.com
Secretary:
Mr. Jyotiprasad Majumder
+41 44 341 0752
secretary@swisspuja.com
Treasurer:
Dr. Shyamapada Coomar
+41 56 406 0221
treasurer@swisspuja.com
Other Committee Members
Dr. Santanu Misra
+41 78 631 8091
ecmember01@swisspuja.com
Dr. Anirban Sadhu
+41 61 534 4914
ecmember02@swisspuja.com
Mrs.Dagmar Dasgupta
+41 44 371 8460
ecmember03@swisspuja.com
President:
Mr. Gautam Sengupta
+41 43 810 8317
president@swisspuja.com
Secretary:
Mr. Jyotiprasad Majumder
+41 44 341 0752
secretary@swisspuja.com
Treasurer:
Dr. Shyamapada Coomar
+41 56 406 0221
treasurer@swisspuja.com
Other Committee Members
Dr. Santanu Misra
+41 78 631 8091
ecmember01@swisspuja.com
Dr. Anirban Sadhu
+41 61 534 4914
ecmember02@swisspuja.com
Mrs.Dagmar Dasgupta
+41 44 371 8460
ecmember03@swisspuja.com
The Mythology related to Bengali Tradition
Uma, one of the many incarnations of Goddess Durga, the Divine Mother, was the daughter of Daksha and Menoka, the king and queen of the Himalayas. From her childhood Uma worshipped Lord Shiva, one of the Divine Trinity, as her future husband. Lord Shiva, pleased by her penance, came to marry her. However, her father King Daksha was not impressed by Shiva's attire of tiger skin and ash smeared all over his body. He didnot agree to this marriage but Uma forcefully married Lord Shiva. However, Daksha prevented Uma from going with Shiva to his abode in Kailash.Daksha then organised a special Yagna (worship of Agni, the Lord of Fire), where he invited everybody execpt his son-in-law Shiva to insult him. Uma was ashamed and insulted by her father's rude attitude to her husband and she starved to death. Shiva was enraged when she heard about Uma's death and went to King Daksha's house. He lifted Uma's body over his shoulders and started his famous Mad Dance or "Tandav Nritya". This dance was so aggressive and intense that the enitre Universe was on the verge of destruction. Seeing this Lord Narayana, another of the Divine Trinity, threw his weapon "Sudarshan Chakra" and cut Uma's body into pieces. During this dancing motion, Uma's body parts got scattered throughout India and Shiva was finally pacified when the last piece fell off his shoulder. The places, where these pieces fell, were known as "Shakti Piths" or Places of energy and different incarnation of the Divine Mother are worshipped in these places.Narayana then gave a boon to the dejected and repentent King Daksha that Uma will be reborn in his family and will be married to Lord Shiva. Subsequently, Parvati was born to King Daksha and was married off to Lord Shiva. She then accompanied Lord Shiva to his heavenly abode in Kailash. Every year she comes to her parents' home along with her four children Ganesh, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kartik, who represent Wisdom, Knowledge, Prosperity and Beauty. Since this much awaited visit by the full family takes place once a year, hence this event is associated with so much festivity and celebrations.The image of Goddess Durga, which is worshipped by Bengalis, depict Goddess Durga equipped with lethal weapons in her ten hands and astride a lion as her carrier, killing the Buffalo Demon, "Mahishashur". This Image of Goddess Durga along with her four children on her either side, reminds us of the "Inner Strength" that is required to emerge victorious from the eternal battle between the "Good" and the "Evil".
Uma, one of the many incarnations of Goddess Durga, the Divine Mother, was the daughter of Daksha and Menoka, the king and queen of the Himalayas. From her childhood Uma worshipped Lord Shiva, one of the Divine Trinity, as her future husband. Lord Shiva, pleased by her penance, came to marry her. However, her father King Daksha was not impressed by Shiva's attire of tiger skin and ash smeared all over his body. He didnot agree to this marriage but Uma forcefully married Lord Shiva. However, Daksha prevented Uma from going with Shiva to his abode in Kailash.Daksha then organised a special Yagna (worship of Agni, the Lord of Fire), where he invited everybody execpt his son-in-law Shiva to insult him. Uma was ashamed and insulted by her father's rude attitude to her husband and she starved to death. Shiva was enraged when she heard about Uma's death and went to King Daksha's house. He lifted Uma's body over his shoulders and started his famous Mad Dance or "Tandav Nritya". This dance was so aggressive and intense that the enitre Universe was on the verge of destruction. Seeing this Lord Narayana, another of the Divine Trinity, threw his weapon "Sudarshan Chakra" and cut Uma's body into pieces. During this dancing motion, Uma's body parts got scattered throughout India and Shiva was finally pacified when the last piece fell off his shoulder. The places, where these pieces fell, were known as "Shakti Piths" or Places of energy and different incarnation of the Divine Mother are worshipped in these places.Narayana then gave a boon to the dejected and repentent King Daksha that Uma will be reborn in his family and will be married to Lord Shiva. Subsequently, Parvati was born to King Daksha and was married off to Lord Shiva. She then accompanied Lord Shiva to his heavenly abode in Kailash. Every year she comes to her parents' home along with her four children Ganesh, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kartik, who represent Wisdom, Knowledge, Prosperity and Beauty. Since this much awaited visit by the full family takes place once a year, hence this event is associated with so much festivity and celebrations.The image of Goddess Durga, which is worshipped by Bengalis, depict Goddess Durga equipped with lethal weapons in her ten hands and astride a lion as her carrier, killing the Buffalo Demon, "Mahishashur". This Image of Goddess Durga along with her four children on her either side, reminds us of the "Inner Strength" that is required to emerge victorious from the eternal battle between the "Good" and the "Evil".
The Puja Itself
In traditional Bengali household, DurgaPuja is celebrated for ten days and the main portion of the Puja is restricted to 5 days only. The fifteen days from the new Moon to the full Moon is called as "Devi Paksha" or the fortnight of the Goddess. The day of the new moon, i.e. the day before Devi Paksha starts, is known as Mahalaya. Traditionally, the artisans draw the eyes of the Durga Images on this day and this process is called "Chakshu Daan". The Main Puja starts on "Shashtthi" i.e. sixth day of the Devi Paksha, generally from beneath a "Bel" tree. In the early hours of "Saptami" or the seventh day, the "Pran" or life of the the goddess is brought from a nearby pond or water body, wrapped in a Banana Tree and then reinstated on the "Ghat" and then to the Image. The banana tree is wrapped in a new red and white saree and resembles a newly wed bride sitting in a Palanquin, going for her Wedding Bath. This is banana tree is called "Kola Bou" or Banana Bride. The process of virtually implanting life into the Ghat and then into the Image is known as Bodhan.The Main puja or worship starts thereafter and the Primetime is reached during the transition phase or "Sandhikshan" between Ashtami (eighth day) and Navami (ninth day). Special Puja known as Sandhipuja is offered during this period. Arati or prayer with lights takes place every day in the evening starting from Saptami till Navami. Finally on Dashami, i.e. tenth day of Devi Paksha, the puja ends and the image undergoes "Bisarjan" or immersion in a waterbody. This also marks the departure of Goddess Durga along with her four children to her husband's heavenly abode in Kailash. So, traditionally the married Bengali women bid her farewell in a small ceremony known as "Sindur Khela" where they exchange Vermillon marks on each other's foreheads and also on the forehead of Goddess Durga and also feed her sweets, to remind her of the hospitality. Sweets are also exchanged among Bengalis along with "Kolakuli" or mutual hugging and this ritual is known as Bijoya. Bijoya ensures friendship among individuals who then collectively vow to spend the year ahead in Peace and Harmony and to ward of any evil or hardship that may come up as hurdles in their life.
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