Puja vacations
Durga Puja is a Hindu festival celebration of victory of the Goddess Durga over the demon Mahisasura. The festival represents female power as ‘Shakti’ in the Universe. It is a festival of Good over Evil. Durga Puja is one of the greatest festivals of India. While the ceremonies bring observance of fast and devotion for ten days, the main five days of the festival namely Shashti , Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, and Vijaya-Dashami are celebrated with much sparkle and magnificence in India, especially in Bengal .
Puja vacations are the longest vacations after the summer and winter holidays. Schools and colleges are closed during Durga Puja. The festival is celebrated with great majesty and vigour at my home town. The important period of the Puja lasts for 4 days but throughout the month, people remain in festive spirits. The whole city is lighted up during that time and the people try to spend these few days with as much fun and joy as possible.
I am spending the five days of this great festival with lots of joy with my family. I have made several plans for spending these days with my family , friends and cousin . On Shashti, I am going for pandal hopping with my family in the areas of north Kolkata like in Sreebhumi Sporting club durga puja , Baghbazar Sarbojanin Utsav and Kashi Bose Lane Durga Puja Samitee and spend the rest of the day watching a movie and playing games with my family .
I hope it will be a wonderful day . On Saptami, I am going out with my friends for pandal hopping in South Kolkata . The beautiful pandals over there are decorated with lights and decoration . First we will visit Ekdalia Evergreen , Suruchi Sangha , Tridhara Sammilani . At night we al friends will go out for dinner in a restraint and have a sleepover . It wil be great fun . The Ashtami is considered as the main day of the Puja.
I will wake up early in the morning and dress up myself for the Puja at my home. . After the puja at home, we will go out out together, family and relatives. Everyone went and gathered in the main hall of our locality for the bhog prasad . My cousin who was out of station, also arrived that day making it all the more enjoyable and fun. We will go out for dinner and have a great time catching up on each other’s lives.On Navami , We have a small cultural program in our block . I will perform there and at night we will play a lot of games and enjoy with our family and relatives .
The Dashami is the last day of the Durga Puja. It is the day when everything comes to an end. The happiness on everyone’s faces starts to fade.. It becomes very difficult to get back to the normal routine as the festive mood remains for a long time. It becomes very disheartening and painful to watch the pandals being taken down after the puja gets over . But we will still give a heart-warming goodbye to Goddess Durga and wait for her arrival in the next year .
Conclusion
The sadness will not stay for long as I know that the puja vacations will again come next year. But with the hope of celebrating the next year’s Durga Puja with more joy and spirit, will make us all motivated to return to our work field.
Written by – Aishani Poddar
School – La Martiniere For Girls
Class – 7 C