Building on the success of Prabashi over the past five and the support of our patrons and well-wishers we are committed to organise a sixth edition of the Durga Puja in Hounslow. As we embark on this exciting journey, it is a pleasure to extend our warm invitation and seek your support to make this year's event a bigger success. Our event this year will run for four (4) days – from the 19th to the 22th October at Ashiana Banqueting Hall (50-52 Bell Road, Hounslow, TW3 3PB). This year we are expecting a footfall of around eight thousand and wider media coverage of our celebration. We solicit your whole-hearted cooperation, support and participation and those of your friends, families and acquaintances. This unique platform will provide an opportunity to canvass your products and services through souvenirs, banners, stalls, leaflets & website advertisements and reach out to the wider UK Asian community and beyond.
This is the Puja Nirghanta decided as of now. Please review few days before Puja for any changes.
| start time | friday (19th Oct, 2018) |
saturday (20th Oct, 2018) |
sunday (21st Oct, 2018) |
monday (22nd Oct, 2018) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | Kumari Puja | |||
| 10:00 AM | Devi Baran | Maha Asthami Puja | ||
| 11:00 AM | Bhodhan, Kalparambha | Maha Navami Puja | Maha Dashami Puja | |
| 11:30 AM | Amantran & Adhibas | Pushpanjali & Arati | Pushpanjali & Arati | Pushpanjali & Arati |
| 12:00 Noon | Saptami Puja | Darpan Bisharjan | ||
| 12:30 PM | Sindur Utsav | |||
| 1:00 PM | Bhog Distribution | Bhog Distribution | Bhog Distribution | |
| 1:30 PM | Pushpanjali & Arati | Bhog Distribution | ||
| 2:30 PM | Devi Havan (Navami Homa) | |||
| 5:30 PM | Cultural Programme | Cultural Programme | Cultural Programme | |
| 7:00 PM | Sandhi Puja (07:07pm to 07:55pm) | |||
| 8:00 PM | Sandhyarati & Pushpanjali | Sandhyarati & Pushpanjali | Sandhyarati & Pushpanjali | |
| 8:30 PM | Bhog Distribution | Bhog Distribution | Bhog Distribution | |
| Goddess Durga's arrival is on Boat and | ||||
| Goddess Durga's departure is on an Elephant | ||||
| Shashthi | ||||
| This is a very important day when ritual preparations are made to begin the Durga Puja. These preparations are mainly three: Kalparambha, Bodhan, Adhivas and Amantran. | ||||
| Kalparambha : | ||||
| It is mainly an act of making the samkalpa or ''sacramental intention'', the firm determination to conduct the Puja properly during the three days. The ritual consists of installing the ghata, water-filled copper pot, at a corner of Durga mandap and offering worship to Durga and Chandi. | ||||
| Bodhan: | ||||
| This rite is performed at the Sandhya or dusk. The word ‘Bodhan' literally means ‘awakening'. As per the Hindu mythology holds that all gods and goddesses go to sleep for six months during the southward journey of the Sun. Autumn (Sharat), during which Durga Puja is done, falls in the middle of this period. Hence it is necessary to first of all awaken the deity Durga. The awakening of Durga was first done by Sri Ramachandra who wanted to propitiate the Goddess before fighting Ravana. | ||||
| The ritual of Bodhan consists in installing a water-filled copper vessel at the base of the Bel (Bilva) tree and praying to the Divine Mother to awaken. | ||||
| Adhivas and Amantran : | ||||
| These rites follow Bodhan. Adhivas means ''invocation''. Through Bodhan the Devi has awakened: now the awakened Devi has to be invoked in the Bel tree or branch of the tree. Adhivas is also a ritual of sanctification. The actual ritual consists of the following main steps. | ||||
|
||||
| The above ritual is followed by Amantran which literally means ''invitation''. Through this rite the Devi is invited or entreated to accept the Saptami Puja. After this, Devi is worshipped with five items and Arati is done to Her. | ||||
| Saptami Puja | ||||
| On the seventh day the Deity is invoked in a group of nine plants known as Navapatrika. The nine plants, which include a branch of Bel tree also, are bundled together, given a ceremonial bath, covered with an orange coloured cloth and installed on a wooden seat on the right side of the image of Durga. This is followed by Mahasnan (great bath) on a mirror, using various materials. After this, consecration and divinization of the image, known as pranapratishtha, takes place. This is followed by elaborate worship of the Devi with sixteen items (shodashopacharapuja). The other deities, attendants and other objects associated with Devi are then worshipped. The Seventh Day's Puja is concluded with bhog (food offering) and Arati to Devi. | ||||
| Ashtami Puja | ||||
| As on Saptami, on Ashtami also, Mahasnan and Shodashopacharapuja are done. In addition, nine small pots with flags of different colours attached are installed and the Nine Shaktis are invoked in them and worshipped. After this sixty-four yoginis are worshipped. Then one crore yoginis are worshipped. This is followed by worship of Nava Durga (nine aspects of Durga) and Goddesses Jayanti, Mangala, Kali, Bhadrakali, Kapalani, Durga, Shiva, Kshama, Dhatri, Svaha and Svadha. Ashtami Puja is concluded with Bhog and Arati. | ||||
| Kumari Puja : | ||||
| Worship of a young girl, treating her as Devi, is also a part of Ashtami Puja. The same kinds of offerings made to the Devi are given to the Kumari also, Arati is performed and finally offer flowers at her feet. | ||||
| Sandhi Puja : | ||||
| The last 24 minutes of Ashtami and the first 24 minutes of Navami (a total of 48 minutes between the two lunar days) constitute the Sandhi or ''Sacred Juncture''. It is considered to be a most auspicious time. At this time Durga is worshipped as Chamunda (that is, Kali who killed the demon Chanda and Munda). This Puja is considered to be the highest point in the whole Durga Puja and the most important ritual. | ||||
| Navami Puja | ||||
| As in Ashtami, during Navami also Mahasnan and Shodashopacharapuja are offered to Devi. In addition,bali and Homa are performed. | ||||
| Dashami Puja | ||||
| In the morning a brief Puja, Shital bhog (cooling food offering) and Arati are first done. Then circumambulate the altar and perform the visarjan ritual. In this ritual the Devi, who had been invoked in the Navapatrika and consecrated Image, is entreated to return to Her celestial abode. The Divine Mother, however, dwells forever in the hearts of devotees. | ||||
| (Source: RKM, Belur Math) | ||||