How many days left for Durga Puja in 2024? Considered one of the grandest festivals of all time, Durga Puja is less than two months away in West Bengal and other parts of the country. Durga Puja is typically a five-day festival which starts with Mahalaya and sees celebrations such as Subho Sasthi, Maha Saptami, Durga Ashtami, Maha Navami and Bijoya Dashami or Vijayadashami or Dashain in the Nepali calendar. Apart from being a religious event, the Bengali Durga Puja festival celebrates a cultural extravaganza, which includes devotion, art, and community spirit. The festival commemorates the win of good over evil, the victory of Maa Durga over demon Mahishasura. The festival is celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm, and this article will provide you with all the day-wise details like dates in 2024, religious significance and celebrations. Different Types of Navratri and Their Dates in 2024: From Chaitra Navratri to Sharad Navratri, Know How Many Times Navaratri Festival Is Being Celebrated in India.

Mahalaya 2024

Mahalaya 2024 falls on Wednesday, October 2. This marks the beginning of Devi Paksha, the arrival of Goddess Durga on Earth, and the end of Pitru Paksha. The day coincides with Gandhi Jayanti 2024, which is a national holiday. According to Drik Panchang, Pitru Paksha 2024 will begin on September 17 and conclude on October 2, marking Mahalaya Amavasya.

As Mahalaya is the last day of Pitru Paksha, also known as Sarva Pitra Amavasy, many individuals pay homage to their ancestors by performing Tarpan or Shraddha rituals to bring solace to their departed souls.

Durga Puja 2024

Durga Puja is a five-day festival that starts on Maha Shashthi and ends on Vijaya Dashami or Dussehra. This year, Durga Puja will begin on October 9, 2024, which is Maha Shashthi, and will end on October 12, 2024, which is Vijaya Dashami, though the Dashami Tithi, as per the Hindu calendar, falls the next day. Here are the detailed dates of Durga Puja 2024.

Durga Puja 2024 Calendar

Maha Panchami: Maha Panchami falls on October 8, 2024, and the ritual of Bilva Nimantran takes place. According to religious texts, combining Sanyakal and Shashthi is the most appropriate time for Bilva Puja.

Maha Shashti or Subho Sasthi: This auspicious day will be celebrated on October 9, 2024. This day officially marks the beginning of Durga Puja in West Bengal. The rituals of Kalparambha and Akal Bodhon take place during this day.

Maha Saptami: This day will be observed on October 10, 2024. On this day, Maa Durga is invoked in a group of nine plants known as Navpatrika. Kalabou Puja is observed in West Bengal, where the banana tree, considered Lord Ganesha’s wife, is given a holy bath in the river.

Maha Ashtami: Kumari Puja is a significant ritual performed on Maha Ashtami, which will be observed on August 11, 2024. In Belur Math, West Bengal, Kumari Puja is performed on Ashtami Tithi. Girls between the ages of two and ten represent various forms of Durga and are worshipped.

Maha Navami: This day falls on October 12, 2024, and marks the third and final day of Durga Puja. Goddess Durga is worshipped on Maha Navami as Mahisasuramardini, meaning the annihilator of the Buffalo Demon Mahishasura. It is believed that on this day, Maa Durga killed the demon Mahishasura.

Bijoya Dashami or Vijayadashami: Falling on October 12, 2024, Bijoya Dashami is the last day of the festival that marks Goddess Durga's triumph over Mahishasura. Durga Visarjan also takes place on this day, which sees the immersion of Maa Durga idols in water bodies. In other states, Vijayadashami or Dashain is celebrated symbolising Lord Rama's victory over Ravana. This day is also known as Dussehra.

Like every year, Durga Puja 2024 will celebrate devotion, faith, art and culture. It is the time that honours the divine feminine power, reflecting the eternal battle between good and evil. The devotees eagerly wait to come together and celebrate the biggest festival of India with much fervour and enthusiasm.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 28, 2024 04:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).