Durga Puja: An Intangible cultural heritage from Bengal

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Heritage is not fossilized, it is always in being. According to many scholars, heritage is an ongoing process, which is not only confined to tangible things. It is the act of passing on and receiving knowledge in the present. Intangible cultural heritage is traditional, contemporary, inclusive, representative, and community-based.  

Durga Puja is an annual festival celebrated all over India but most notably in Kolkata. It is the ceremonial worship of the mother goddess and is one of the most important festivals in India. Apart from being a religious festival for the Hindus, it is also an occasion for reunion and rejuvenation, and a celebration of traditional culture and customs. It marks the ten-day worship of the Hindu mother goddess Durga. 



It is said by many scholars and also mentioned in different literary texts that the birth of Devi Durga has a great impact on the festival itself. When the great Mahishasura was blessed with immortality by Lord Brahma, under one condition that the powerful  Mahishasura could be defeated only by a woman, which rather seemed impossible at that time. But later on, the three most powerful Devas in the Hindu Pantheon, Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer) created Devi Durga. This great power helped Goddess Durga never miss one shot at killing Mahishasura and acquiring the title of Mahishasura Mardini. 



The origin and journey of Devi Durga are evident throughout time, in various forms of art and sculptures, which further made the tradition much more valuable and closer to the culture of India. The last scene of the battle where Devi Durga killed Mahishasura is often replicated in many of the idols of the Devi worshipped in the Durga puja.  



Although the festival started in Bonedi bari, which still remains a custom of Bengal, now the puja has shifted to rather pandals. A lot of rituals and customs are involved in this ten-day-long puja but a belief is rather found in the essence of this festival. A belief that illustrates a new beginning by demolishing the evil of the past. Durga Puja, which is also the worship of Shakti, has found its unique place in this religious space over the last three centuries, by leaving a great impact on today’s society. 


Written by - Tannita Digpati 

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