Musicians playing traditional music inside a pandal during Goddess Durga Worship ceremony, Calcutta, Bengal, India

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Durga Puja (Bengali: দুর্গা পূজা, Bengali pronunciation: [d̪urɡa pudʒa]); also referred to as Durgotsava (Bengali: দুর্গোৎসব Bengali pronunciation: [d̪urɡot̪ʃɔb],) or Sharadotsav is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijayadashami. The dates of Durga Puja celebrations are set according to the traditional Hindu calendar and the fortnight corresponding to the festival is called Devi Paksha, ‘Fortnight of the Goddess’). Devi Paksha is preceded by Mahalaya, the last day of the previous fortnight Pitri Paksha, ‘Fortnight of the Forefathers’), and is ended on Kojagori Lokkhi Puja (‘Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon Night’). Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomizes the victory of Good over Evil. It is the biggest Festival for Bengalis all over the world and it has become more of a Social event than religious, thus the barrier of religion has become redundant with time. These photos depicts the festival as celebrated in Kolkata aka Calcutta, West Bengal, India. The pandals (structure of bamboo and other materials serving as a temporary temple) and the idols are temporary and are dismantled after the festival.

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Size: 3634px × 2414px
Location: Kolkata, Calcutta, West Bengal, India, Asia
Photo credit: © Srijan Roy Choudhury / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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