- Title: INDIA: Traditional gaiety marks Durga Puja Hindu festival
- Date: 15th October 2005
- Summary: BHUBANESHWAR, ORISSA, INDIA (OCTOBER 11, 2005) (ANI) "PANDAL" OR MAKESHIFT TEMPLE OF HINDU GODDESS OF POWER DURGA GIRL DRESSED AS THE MOTHER GODDESS MAN DRESSED AS DEMON AUDIENCE A WOMAN IN THE AUDIENCE "DEMON" LYING DOWN, A GIRL DRESSED AS "SARASWATI", THE HINDU GODDESS OF LEARNING (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) SHARMISHTHA MISRA, EVENT ORGANISER, SAYING: "We have encouraged them to bring about a spiritual awakening in them. For us, the idol of the Goddess is not just something made of mud. It lies in our soul. She is present in every woman in the form of the Mother Goddess, be it Durga (the Goddess of power), Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth) or Saraswati (the Goddess of Learning). We have to arouse this within us." CHILD DRESSED AS THE ELEPHANT-HEADED GOD GANESH ANOTHER CHILD "GODDESS DURGA" SLAYS THE "DEMONS" AUDIENCE MORE OF GIRL DRESSED AS DURGA MAN IN THE AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) BINAPANI SAHOO, ONE OF THE LIVE "DEITIES", SAYING: "We have to put in a lot of preparation. We wake up at four am to pray and meditate daily and remember our Guru. We derive power from that. The way we are able to see wide-eyed, it is only the power of prayer, it is only then that we are able to concentrate." KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA (OCTOBER 11, 2005) (ANI - ACCESS ALL) PRIEST CONDUCTING RITUALS IN FRONT OF IDOL OF DURGA WOMAN PRAYING MORE OF RITUALS PEOPLE PRAYING IDOL OF THE DEITY DEVOTEES PARTICIPATING IN FIRE RITUALS MAN PRAYING IDOL MORE OF DEVOTEES MORE OF DAIS WOMAN PRAYING DHAKA, BANGLADESH (OCTOBER 11, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) SECURITY PERSONNEL ON GUARD NEAR A TEMPLE GUNS PEOPLE WAITING AROUND THE DAIS MAN CARRYING A GIRL DRESSED AS "KUMARI" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SHOUTING RELIGIOUS SLOGANS PRIEST GARLANDS THE "KUMARI" PEOPLE CHANTING RELIGIOUS INCANTATIONS VARIOUS OF THE GIRL DRESSED AS "KUMARI" VARIOUS OF WOMEN WORSHIPPING THOUSANDS OF HINDU WOMEN AND MEN GATHER AROUND TEMPLE
- Embargoed: 14th November 2005 15:10
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Religion
- Reuters ID: LVA6NAT6M2PL2Y6DTU4DGMAAJLGU
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: The motionless figures of two ornately dressed teenagers might well deceive devotees visiting a popular of power, Durga, into offering prayers to their "idols". The "pandal", one among many that sprout in the eastern Indian city of Bhubaneshwar during the annual Durga Puja festivities, is entirely adorned by "live" idols, from that of the Mother Goddess to that of the demon that she annihilates. Dumbstruck devotees watch in amazement as the girls stare wide-eyed with the aura and fury of Durga, the Goddess of power. The unique "pandal", set up by the Prajapita Brahmakumari Ashram, a religious sect, aims to put across a message that there is a Goddess in every woman. "We have encouraged them to bring about a spiritual awakening in them. For us, the idol of the Goddess is not just something made of mud. She lies in our soul. She is present in every woman in the form of the Mother Goddess, be it Durga (the Goddess of power), Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth) or Saraswati (the Goddess of Learning). We have to arouse this within us," Sharmishtha Misra, one of the organisers, said. Some in the audience seem to wait for an opportunity to catch the "deity" blink, but by sheer concentration, the girls seldom oblige. The performers are required to remain motionless for a maximum of fifteen minutes after which the curtains of the dais are drawn and they can take a break. The people chosen to perform the tasks have to follow a strict regimen prior to the days of the festivities. "We have to put in a lot of preparation. We wake up at four am to pray and meditate daily and remember our Guru. We derive power from that. The way we are able to see wide-eyed, it is only the power of prayer, it is only then that we are able to concentrate," Binapani Sahoo, a "live" idol, said. In the neighbouring state of West Bengal, where the festivities are most grandly celebrated, devotees thronged pandals on Tuesday (October 11) to worship Goddess Durga on Maha Ashtami, the auspicious eighth day of the ten-day annual festival, which culminates in immersion of the idol on the last day. The day is considered significant as life is "breathed" into the idol of Durga by priests who perform elaborate rituals amidst chanting of religious verses. For devotees, the day holds an added significance as little girls are worshipped as "Kumari" or incarnation of Durga. In the Bangladeshi capital city of Dhaka, thousands of Hindu men, women and children thronged "pandals" in the city. Bangladesh's Hindu community, like their Bengali counterparts in neighbouring Kolkata, joined in to offer prayers to the deity. Hindu's constitutes about 10 percent of population of Muslim majority Bangladesh. This year, there are 2200 "mandaps" (stage or daises) across the country with 144 in Dhaka alone. The immensely popular annual festival began on Monday (October 10). Goddess Durga is worshipped by Hindus the world over during the month of October by public display of idols in Pandals and the idols are immersed in the sea, rivers and lakes on the last day. Prayers, processions and musical programmes mark the festival, which symbolises the triumph of good over evil. Durga is depicted as a powerful goddess, riding a raging lion, holding aloft ten weapons of war in her ten hands. Her trident is depicted plunging into the side of a monstrous buffalo, out of whose body emerges a demon. It is said that the goddess makes her annual visit to the world during this time and the festivities are meant to welcome her.
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