Understanding the rituals  

 Navratri, Durga Puja, and Dussehra are Hindu Festivals. ‘Navratri’ is a nine-day festival, in which ‘Durga Puja’ is celebrated as one of its days and the day after Navratri is celebrated as ‘Dussehra’, while, the day after Navami or the ninth day of worshipping Goddess Durga is known as ‘Dashami’. However, many of us still believe that both ‘Dusshera’ and ‘Dashami’ are the same. Let’s understand the difference - ‘Dusshera’ is the day when Ravana was killed by Lord Rama; the same day ‘Dashami’ also depicts the victory of goddess Durga over the wicked demon Mahishasur.

Mythology: Rama's invocation

 Even though ‘Dusshera’ and ‘Dashami’ are not the same but they are closely intertwined. Durga Puja is celebrated every year in the Hindu month of Ashwin (September-October) to commemorate Lord Rama's invocation of the Goddess Durga before going to war with the demon king Ravana. Thus, goes the story of Lord Rama, who first worshipped the 'Mahishasura Mardini' or the slayer of the buffalo demon, by offering 108 blue lotuses and lighting 108 lamps, at this time of the year. So, over centuries the day when Ravana was defeated by Lord Rama has been coincided with Rama’s invocation of the goddess slaying of the demon Mahishasur - to mark a celebration of the triumph of good over evil.

History of the devotion

 Since my focus is on Durga Puja, let’s dwelve into when and how it became a mass celebration compared to the conventional Durga Puja, which is usually celebrated in the springtime (March-April). This Durga Puja known as 'akal-bodhan' or out-of-season ('akal') worship ('bodhan') in recorded history is said to have been celebrated in the late 1500s. Folklores say the landlords, or zamindar, of Dinajpur and Malda, initiated the first Durga Puja in Bengal. According to another source, Raja Kangshanarayan of Taherpur or Bhabananda Mazumdar of Nadiya organized the first Sharadiya or Autumn Durga Puja in Bengal in c. 1606.

 As with the movement of the population of Bengal to other parts of India such as Assam and Delhi, they also brought along the festivals. Hence, Durga Puja starting in 1911 came to be widely celebrated in Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Delhi, and some other parts of India. Why 1911? that we will cover comprehensively in a different article.

How we perceive it now

 Growing up Durga Puja meant vacation, time for new clothes, toys, and the start of the festive seasons which used to last till Magh Bihu in January. Planning and enthusiasm used to sip in weeks before the festival; however, in recent years there has been a considerable dip in the level of excitement and participation.  

 Nevertheless, the infusion of diverse art forms has earned Durga Puja the international fame of being one of the most vibrant celebrations of public art.

 In general, among friends and families, Durga Puja was/is the time of the year that brought/brings everyone together. Be it for the planned vacation or the forced holidays that made us spend time with our relatives.

 As the festival gets near, people throng the markets for shopping. There is always a huge crowd during the season at Fancy Bazar and Malls in GS Road for shopping ahead of the festival. Guwahati is one of the best places to visit during Durga Puja. The pandals that are set up here are some of the most beautiful decorations during this festival. Different types of activities such as shopping, preparing special cuisines, visiting relatives, etc. can be seen everywhere.

 The significance of Durga Puja goes beyond religion and is revered as the celebration of righteousness, compassion, humanity, art, and culture. From the reverberation of ‘dhaak’ and new clothes to delicious food, there remains a merry-go-round mood during these days.

 Please note: Various references have been used to compile the article.