Durga Puja 2022: Book your Puja to remove negativity and evil eye

Goddess Durga, the name synonymous to power and victory is here to bless the natives during Shardostsava/Durgotsava or Durga puja 2022. It is a yearly festival which is celebrated to pay homage to the Hindu Goddess Durga. 

The festival marks her victory over a shape changing demon Mahishasura. She is the most revered deity in the Indian subcontinent.  It is particularly famous and traditionally celebrated in the states of West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tripura, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat and in Bangladesh. 

The Durga puja festival is observed in the Hindu month of Ashwin which corresponds to the months of September–October in the Gregorian calendar. Durga Puja, is a ten-day long festival which is celebrated within the span of the entire period of Navaratri lasting for 10 days. The last five days are of utmost significance.

The puja is usually performed in homes. There are huge pandals set for the general public featuring a temporary stage and structural decorations. People recite scriptures and Vedic mantras followed by art and dance performances related to Goddess Durga. People give gifts, visit their family members, feast and at some places carry out public processions. Durga puja enlists a significant festival in the shaktism branch of Hinduism.

On the 10th day i.e. dashmi tithi, the idols of the Goddess Durga are immersed into the water and this immersion process is called as Durga Visarjan.

Relevance of Durga puja 2022

For Bengalis, the festival is a six days long affair which is observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi and Vijayadashami. As per ancient Hindu texts, the Durga puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga in a battle against the shape- shifting demon Mahishasura. Thus, the festival symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Goddess Durga is considered the Maa shakti or motherly power to bring life to existence. Durga puja coincides with navratri and Dussehra festivals. According to Hindu ancient beliefs, the Goddess descends on the Earth to bless her devotees in these days.

Astrological significance 

Goddess Durga is known to bring an end to all demonic forces. In Astrology, Rahu and Ketu are the shadow planets and are considered demons. These are the two parts of the demon named Bhadrabahu and hence have demonic tendencies. Now, with worshipping Goddess Durga and chanting her mantras we may reduce the ill or sinful effects of both of these planets. Whenever there is more of sinful effects in the horoscope, the best astrologer advice to perform Durga worship and chanting of her mantras. One may book online puja to remove Rahu dosha in the kundli and get relief from all kinds of miseries caused by these shadow planets. The puja followed by hawan is one of the best remedies to pacify all kind of kundli dosha and get relief from quarrels, debts, complex health issues, disharmony in relations, losses and failure in business, unemployment and problems in marriage and children.  

When is Durga puja 2022?

Durga Puja is observed on the last day of Navaratri. The Durga puja festival starts on shasthi tithi i.e. the sixth day of navratri and ends on the 10th day i.e. dashami tithi. It is on the 10th day that the idol of Durga Maa is immersed into a water body with full respect and devotion. People observe fast and sink in full devotions of Godedss Durga during these 6 days. In the year 2022, the Durga puja festival will be celebrated from 1st October to 5th October 2022. The Durga puja celebration will occur during five consecutive days including "Shasthi" "Saptmi", "Ashtmi", "Navmi" and "Dashmi".

It’s time for the Durga devotees to start their preparations for 6 days long Durga Puja 2022 and welcome the Goddess in their houses. The important dates of Durga puja 2022 re as follows- 

Shasthi – October 1, 2022

On the day of Shashthi, people believe that Goddess Durga comes on the Earth with her four children Ganesha, Lakshmi, Kartikeya and Saraswati. People overwhelmingly make arrangements for idols to be placed in homes and huge pandals on this day.

Saptmi – October 2, 2022

This is the day when the idols of Durga Maa are said to be invoked with life through the ritual called Pran Pratisthan. 

Ashtami – October 3, 2022

On the ashtami tithi, Goddess Durga is worshipped as a young girl and the ritual is called Kumari Puja. Then in the evening Sandhi Puja is performed to worship the Chamunda avatar of Goddess Durga. This is Chamunda avatar who slayed buffalo demon Mahisasur. There is a tradition to carry on with the puja at the time when demon Mahishasur was killed. 

Navmi – 4th of October 2022

Navmi is the last day and Maha Aarati is organized on this day. This marks the completion of the festival. Everyone dressed in new clothes recite aarti, mantras and enjoy the feast.

Dashmi – 5th October 2022

On dashmi tithi the idols of Goddess Durga are immersed into the river or closeby water body. From there she is believed to return to the abode. 

Durga Puja rituals 

As already mentioned the puja removes suffering and fulfill the lives of the devotees with happiness, prosperity and wealth.

• Devotees wake up before sunrise in the Brahma Muhurta and take bath.
• After that the puja place is clarified with sprinkling of Gangajal.
• The devotees offer red cloth and akshat, flowers, garland, sindoor, shringaar, fruits and sweets to the Durga idol.
• After that a sankalpa for keeping a fast throughout the day is taken.
• The day is spent in reciting mantras and prayers. 
• In the evening, people visit temples to offer maha aarti and prayers to the Goddess.
• The recitation of Durga Chalisa has utmost significance on this day. People also recite Dura shaptshati path to get blessings of Durga Maa. 
• After that the fast is broken by consuming the satvik Prasad.

One may book 9 Day Durga Saptashati Path with Hawan at Future Point to get the full benefits of these auspicious days. The puja and hawan are performed by the experienced and knowledgeable priests as per the required traditions and rituals under the sacred environment. The puja brings maximum benefits if only performed with proper rituals and in pious environment.  

Goddess Durga Mantra

“Ya Devi Sarv Bhooteshu Maa Shakti Roopen Samsthitah

Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namaha”

The interpretation of the symbols and weapons of Goddess Durga

Goddess Durga is an epitome of power or shakti as she was given the powers of many deities before taking avatar as Durga to kill Mahishasura. She was born to kill all the demons and demonic tendencies on the Earth. The Godess has ten arms to signify the protection of her worshippers from all directions, including the eight directions, sky and the Earth (akash and bhoo loka). The power of the goddess can be estimated with different weapons as held in her 10hands. These have significant meaning which must be known to every religiously curious mind.

Trishul
Trishul was gifted by Lord Shiva to the Goddess. The 3 sharp edges of the weapon signify tamasik, satvik and rajasik qualities. There is a need to retain balance in these 3 qualities to attain final stage or salvation. 

Conch
Conch was gifted by Lord Varuna to the Goddess. The sound of the conch shell is considered to be the purest that brings an end to all illusions in life. It also symbolizes the sacred sound of ‘Om’ which is the syllable of creation of the universe. 

Sudarshan Chakra
The famous weapon of Lord Vishnu i.e. Sudarshan chakra was gifted to the Goddess by the Lord to bring an end to the demon. The chakra somewhere narrates that the central point of whole universe is one and every other is just revolving around it. It also reflects righteousness or dharma with its spinning around the index finger of the Goddess. 

Lotus
The lotus is a symbol of wisdom and was gifted by Lord Brahma to the Goddess. The Lotus signifies spiritual consciousness even during the darkest times as shown by the mud.

Bow and Arrow
Lord Vayu and Lord Surya gifted her with the bow and arrow. The weapon shows an amalgamation of potential and kinetic energy as reflected by the bow and arrows respectively. It gives a message that Goddess Durga controls all the source of energy in the entire universe.

Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt was gifted by Lord Indra to the Goddess. It symbolizes the sense of determination, unshaken faith and firmness of spirit to gain salvation. It is through her worship that the devotees gain these traits. 

Sword
The Sword was gifted by Lord Ganesha to the Goddess. It symbolizes intellect and knowledge. It represents cutting the sense of ego, pride and illusions inside the mind and body. 

Spear
Lord Agni gifted a spear to the Goddess which symbolizes piousness. It represents purity. It is known to bring awareness about what is right and what is wrong. 

Axe
Goddess Durga was gifted an axe from Lord Vishwakarma. The weapon signifies fearless approach towards fighting against evil.

Snake
Snake as associated with Lord Shiva shows that the Goddess is capable to take hold on every kind of poisonous substances and other beings be it a demon or materialistic illusions.

Goddess Durga is the ultimate form of power and one should worship her to get rid of the maya and illusions which is the prime cause of fall in the modern age. Apart from getting prosperity and wealth in life it is also important to get spiritual awakening so as to derive the real pleasure of life. And Goddess Durga can bless the natives with BOTH!