Subho Bijoya Dashami

Ma Durga and her children — Ganesh, Lakshmi, Saraswati and Kartik. Click to embiggen.

Pujo ended today. Ma Durga’s visit to her maternal home is over and she’s gone back to her husband’s home. Bengali traditional iconography shows her with her children. In the picture above, from left to right, there’s Ganesh, Lakshmi, Ma Durga riding a lion in her incarnation as Mahisasurmardini (the slayer of the demon Mahisasur), Saraswati and Kartik. (Image from the puja pandal at PJC Bangalore.)

Mahisasur is a powerful asura (demon) depicted as a half-buffalo, half-human being born from the union of an asura king and a she-buffalo named Mahishi. He is known for his shape-shifting abilities, capable of transforming between human and buffalo forms. He gained immense power through severe penance, which led to a boon from Bramha Dev granting him invulnerability to being killed by any man or god. This boon had a critical loophole: he could only be slain by a woman.

The story goes thusly. Empowered by the boon, Mahisasur waged war against the devas, defeating them and conquering both heaven and earth, forcing the devas to retreat. Fearing his tyranny, the devas approached the Trimurti—Bramha, Vishnu, and Shiva—who combined their divine energies to create the goddess Durga, a powerful embodiment of Adi Shakti (primordial feminine power). Durga was armed with weapons from various deities, including a trident from Shiva, a discus from Vishnu, and a lion from the Himalayas.

The ensuing battle between Durga and Mahisasura lasted for nine days and nights, culminating in Durga’s victory on the tenth day, Vijayadashami. Therefore Durga is Mahisasurmardini, meaning “the Slayer of Mahisasura”.

This event is central to the Hindu festivals of Navaratri and Durga Puja, which celebrate the triumph of good over evil and the power of divine feminine energy.

In Bengal (the land of my ancestors), Durga puja is the biggest event of the year. Lots of celebrations with family and friends. Lots of food (with emphasis on fish and meat) and music. Here’s a clip of a dhaak and dhol during puja.

Here’s Veena Sahasrabuddhe singing raag Durga.