Durga Puja Pandals

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While I was in Mumbai, it was the festival of Navratri. Navratri is a festival of worship, dance and music celebrated over a period of nine nights. Nav = nine and Ratri = nights.

It is celebrated for the worship of the Goddess Durga. Goddess Durga is believed to exist in many forms. The name “Durga” means “inaccessible”, and she is the personification of the active side of the divine “shakti” energy of Lord Shiva. In fact, she represents the furious powers of all the male gods, and is the ferocious protector of the righteous, and destroyer of the evil. Durga is usually portrayed as riding a lion, and carrying weapons in her many arms.

Most neighborhoods had a pandal, or a temporary temple set up so that the neighbors could conduct puja to Durga in their neighborhood. Some of them were elaborate and some of them were simple. Often the neighborhoods would erect signs at the entrances to their neiborhoods and sometimes with Christmas lights (or Hindu equivalent). So think Christmas in that it is very festive.

As I understanding it, local neighborhood associations or the people on a street would contribute to the development of the pandal. Often they were small pandals in which I guess you did your own puja. Others were elaborate and had a temple priest conducting services. The most elaborate one that I saw was at the North Bombay -- Santa Cruz Durga Pandal. It was amazing.

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Photos

Offering Fire to Attendees
People would put their hands over the flame briefly for blessings

Modest Pandal
A modest Durga Pandal as seen all over town

Comments

[nilkant]

Durgapuja
Hi, all friends NAVRATRI 'Nav' means 'nine' and 'ratri' means 'night', thus, 'Navratri' means 'nine nights'. There are many legends attached to the conception of Navratri like all Indian festivals but all of them are related to Goddess Shakti (Hindu Mother Goddess) and her various forms. Though it is one of the most celebrated festivals of Hindu calendar, it holds special significance for Gujratis and Bengalis and one can see it in the zeal and fervor of the people with which they indulge in the festive activities of the season. Thanking http://desidirectory.com/indian-festival-events/

[singh]

Durga puja
Hi, Friend Navratri, the festival of nights, lasts for 9 days with three days each devoted to worship of Ma Durga, the Goddess of Valor, Ma Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth and Ma Saraswati and many many happy Durga Puja. Plesse visit for more detail http://desidirectory.com/indian-festival-events/

[debasish]

Hindu Festivals
Best wishes, happy durga puja, and dasara, and kalipuja Best WISHES Debasish Datta http://hindufestivals.org

[suman]

bocachoda pandal
kankir chale bara ai bal chera pandal kore kono lav hove na gud marani.......................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ................................

[priyam agarwal]

excellent photos. pls put some more.

[Kanyakumari Hotels]

Kanyakumari
Hello!!!! Nice pandals!!!!!!!!

[Yogesh Goel]

Amar Durga Puja
Hi, I am Yogesh Goel, one from the Amar Durga Puja team. I am here to invite you to participate in the most unique initiative ever on the net on Ma Durga. We have a website AmarDurgaPuja.com and its totally user driven website. We want to bring Ma Durga to everyone's home. Even to people who can't be here during pujas. We want to make everyone feel at home and thats why this website. Amar Durga Puja (ADP) is an attempt by FOURDY Group to take Durga Puja to the world by sharing information and photos to help everyone in experiencing the thrill of Durga Puja. To make this happen, we started www.amardurgapuja.com in 2009 as a photography competition which received an overwhelming response from the user of various countries like India, Bangladesh, United States, Australia, United Kingdom and many more who showed their love for the festival by submitting 1,000+ photographs within a span of 6 days – making it the largest Durga Puja gallery online. Later, this year we were also recognized by Spanish Magazine – Global Voices (www.globalvoices.org). This is a pictorial and video website where users can submit their entire collection and make it seen to the world and also share them. we want to make it a hub which everyone can cherish for life. Do visit and make urself a part of this greatest initiative ever. our website address is- http://www.amardurgapuja.com/ And our facebook page address is- http://www.facebook.com/amardurgapuja Hope to see u participating & contributing soon. Do not forget to tell about this to your friends too. Take Care, Be well, Yogesh Goel For, Amar Durga Puja team FOURDY Group

[Jignesh]

Navratri Wishes to all my friends.

[Bappan Saha]

Durga pooja pandals list in mumbai
Hi, Please provide me Durga pooja pandals list in mumbai. Best Regards, Bappa Saha

[ponraj c s]

DurgaMa temple in mumbai
please send me the list of DurgaMa temples in mumbai