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<ul><li>Millions of people will hit <keyword id="6357908" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="durga-puja">Durga Puja</keyword> Pandals today to celebrate one of the world's biggest street festivals. </li><li>The Durga Puja festival, a 10-day long carnival is celebrated early October. </li><li>One of the artists crafted Durga idols made of 50 kg pure gold worth ₹500 million. </li><li>Here are some pictures of Durga Puja pandals across the country. </li></ul>Millions of people will hit Durga Puja Pandals today to celebrate one of the world's biggest street festivals. The Durga Puja festival, a 10-day long carnival is celebrated early October. According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that Goddess Durga comes down to Earth by her four children to visit her parents. She is also known to have slayed the demon Mahishashur, during the same period. Business Insider India picked up the top Durga puja pandals created across several states to celebrate the festival. This community festival is celebrated in the company of friends and family. They also relish foods at street stalls and and patiently stand in long queues to visit the statues of the Goddess. <div type="image" title="AF8F1DFB-59C2-48E7-B636-125B1C75F428" msid="71480280" hostid="261"></div>

 There are several puja committees which create pandals, or marquees, of all shapes and sizes. <div type="image" title="e3cdaf690671f9516b57061bfbd5b10a" msid="71480281" hostid="261"></div>
 One of the artists crafted Durga idols made of 50 kg pure gold worth ₹500 million. Artists also recreated India’s historic mission to the moon, Chandrayaan 2, at puja pandals in Nagpur and Varanasi. <div type="image" title="Nagpur: A replica of &amp;#39;Chandrayaan&amp;#39; made into a Durga Puja pandal during Navratri..." msid="71480273" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A replica of &amp;#39;Chandrayaan&amp;#39; made into a Durga Puja pandal during Navratri Festival, in Nagpur.Photo) (&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 In Kolkata, around 3,000 community pujas and 5,000 family pujas are being held. Another 25,000 community pujas were organised by local clubs, non-government and social organizations. <div type="image" title="A5B87F24-3319-44AD-B15A-1D467DE69216" msid="71480282" hostid="261"></div>
 The puja festivities and prayers begin on the sixth day of the first quarter of the moon and end on Dashami or the 10th day, celebrated across the country as Dassehra. <div type="image" title="7E370E5F-8BF7-4926-A959-14F3DA6AC6F7" tempid="77742" msid="71480321" hostid="261"></div>

 The main fervor starts from the seventh (Saptami), eighth (Ashtami), and ninth (Navami) day when people start visiting the pandal for celebration. 
	<div type="image" title="Kolkata: A Durga Puja pandal themed on letter-box during the ongoing Durga Puja ..." msid="71480291" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A Durga Puja pandal themed on letter-box during the ongoing Durga Puja festival, at Chetla Agrani, in Kolkata.Photo) (&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 The festival concludes the 10th day, called Vijayadashami. 
 <div type="image" title="F0921F65-4097-4C8C-9D8E-E2100B410DE9" tempid="77748" msid="71480322" hostid="261"></div>

See how artists blend faith with India's moon mission, obsession with gold, and much more during one of India's biggest religious festivals

As fear of surge in COVID-19 numbers grows amid preparations for <keyword id="6357908" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="durga-puja">Durga puja</keyword>, several pandal committees have made arrangements for <keyword id="27904" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Virtual">virtual</keyword> 'darshan' this time, while barring the physical entry of visitors. There are, however, other puja associations that have argued that the festival is all about inclusiveness, and revellers cannot be stopped from visiting the marquees. They have given assurances that all necessary measures would be taken to manage crowds and ensure safety of one and all. At least two big-ticket pujas in the city -- Santosh Mitra Square and Debdaru Fatak -- have announced that outsiders won't be allowed this time, but insisted that people log on to their YouTube channels to catch a glimpse of the Durga idol, and the rituals. Sajal Ghosh, the secretary of Santosh Mitra Square, said, "Lakhs of people walk through narrow lanes to reach the puja pandal every year. This time, that cannot be allowed. People in our area will also be exposed to serious threats of COVID infection. That is why we have decided to put a blanket ban on the entry of visitors to our pandal." Another crowd-puller, Jodhpur Park Sarbojanin, has refrained from setting up a marquee this time. "Maa Durga's idol will be installed in a banquet hall that belongs to the puja committee. All events will be streamed live on giant screens across a stretch of one kilometre from the venue," Sumantra Roy, an officer-bearer of the association, said. Treading on a different path, some puja organisers have opened wide the doors of the marquees for the revellers, after putting in place strict safety measures to prevent the spread of the disease. Somnath Das, the secretary of Santoshpur Lake Pally, said, "We will not prohibit entry of visitors. Also, the pandal has been setup in a certain way so that people get to catch a glimpse of the idols from the adjacent road. Those willing to stay at home can click on augmentedpujo.com to enjoy virtual darshan." Echoing him, Partha Ghosh, an office-bearer of Shivmandir Puja committee, said disallowing people was not an option, as Durga puja was all about togetherness. "The whole purpose of community puja would get defeated if we stop the entry of visitors. That said, we will live stream all rituals on social media," he said. Another prominent puja in the city, Suruchi Sangha, is of the view that fewer revellers will go pandal-hopping this time, as local train services continue to remain suspended. "For the ones who won't be able to visit our pandal, we have made arrangements so that they can experience it all on their cell phones," Swarup Biswas of Suruchi Sangha said. Night-long pandal-hopping is set to begin in the city and elsewhere in the state from Monday, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently announcing that people can start visiting marquees from 'Tritiya' - three days before the puja rituals begin -- to avoid crowding to an extent. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/yogi-adityanath-to-address-18-rallies-in-bihar/articleshow/78744786.cms">Yogi Adityanath to address 18 rallies in Bihar</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/atlassians-50mn-global-venture-fund-to-focus-on-indian-startups/articleshow/78744928.cms">Atlassian's $50mn global venture fund to focus on Indian startups</a>

Virtual pandal-hopping is the new normal this Durga puja

A Durga Puja organisers' forum in Kolkata has recommended certain safety measures to be taken during the festivities. The Forum for Dugotsab, an association of 350 Durga Puja committees in the city, said it will submit its list of recommendations to the office of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, an office-bearer of the body said on Sunday. The forum has recommended measures like <keyword id="8604865" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="thermal-screening">thermal screening</keyword> of visitors, making the wearing of masks mandatory for everyone, allowing only 25 people inside a marquee at a time and regular sanitisation of the structures, he said. It has also called for keeping the marquees open from the front so that visitors can see the idols without having to enter the structures, the forum's office-bearer said. "After Mamata Banerjee said in state secretariat Nabanna that everyone should be careful about their health so that they can celebrate Durga Puja in a grand way, we are hopeful of celebrating the festival this year with all safety measures in place. "We have distributed a list of guidelines among members of the forum. We will submit the same to the Chief Minister's Office," he told . Durga Puja organisers across Kolkata are hopeful they will be able to celebrate the festival this year, albeit in a scaled-down manner and by taking safety measures. "We will celebrate Durga Puja by following the guidelines as the livelihood of thousands are attached to it. But maybe, we will not be able to celebrate the festival the way we had initially planned," Somen Dutta of Kasi Bose Puja Committee in north Kolkata said. Partha Ghosh of Shiv Mandir Puja Committee in south Kolkata said the festival will be a low-key affair for them this year and safety measures will be taken. "The celebration will be scaled down this year while retaining our artistic hallmark. We will have a grand theme- based celebration next year," he said. Debashis Kumar, former mayor-in-council of <keyword id="1601986" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Kolkata-Municipal-Corporation">the Kolkata Municipal Corporation</keyword> and one of the key persons of <keyword id="9602194" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-tridhara-sammilani-puja-committee">the Tridhara Sammilani Puja Committee</keyword> in Ballygunge, said they are waiting for safety guidelines from the administration. "We haven't started our preparations yet for this year's Durga Puja. We haven't even booked any idol. Unlike some Durga Puja organisers, we don't believe in using thermal devices to screen revellers. Unless we get clear guidelines from the administration on how to go about with the celebrations, we will not take any decision," he said. Subhendu Ghosh of <keyword id="9602195" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="kasba-talbagan-puja-committee">Kasba Talbagan Puja Committee</keyword> said they will scale down the celebrations. "Our decorator has tested positive for COVID-19. We will decide accordingly," he said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/weekend-lockdown-imposed-in-karnatakas-covid-hit-kodagu-district/articleshow/77046035.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Weekend lockdown imposed in Karnataka's Covid-hit Kodagu district</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/heavy-rain-lashes-several-parts-of-delhi-on-sunday-morning-imd-says-thundershowers-likely-to-continue-for-next-few-hours/articleshow/77046201.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Heavy rain lashes several parts of Delhi on Sunday morning, IMD says thundershowers likely to continue for next few hours</a>

Durga Puja organisers in Kolkata frame norms on how to hold week-long festival amid coronavirus

Kolkata, Jun 11 () An idol maker from Kumartuli, a potters' hub in north Kolkata, has shipped a fibreglass idol of Goddess Durga to Australia, becoming the first artisan from the area to send his artwork overseas amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Soon after shipping the fibreglass idol to Melbourne on Wednesday, Koushik Ghosh has become busy in making arrangements for sending another to Germany. The fibreglass idol was sanitised before being shipped to Australia, he said. Ghosh's shipment has given some hope to the artisans of Kumartuli who are getting lesser orders and facing cancellation of bookings this year due to the pandemic. Lightweight fibreglass idols are in demand among NRI Bengalis during Durga Puja. Ghosh said he has received only nine orders from abroad this year, a sharp dip from 30-32 in the previous years. It would have been 12 but three organisers cancelled their bookings, said Ghosh, who has been making idols for Durga Puja organisers abroad for the last 15 years. Apart from Australia and Germany, the idols made by him will be shipped to Canada, the US and the UK this year. "The fact that an idol has been shipped abroad like previous years brings hope that the jinx brought about by COVID-19 has been broken," Ghosh said. Earlier, in April, five overseas customers of another famous Kumartuli artisan, Prodyut Pal, had cancelled their bookings citing the COVID-19 situation, disheartening him and other idol makers. "Most of the customers were from the US. Two of them have promised me that they will organise Durga Puja next year and buy idols from my studio," Prodyut Pal said. Kanchi Paul, one of the few female artisans in the potters' hub, said, "The jinx has been broken. I have got confirmation from five Durga Puja committees in Kolkata. We will start work in full swing once the artisans return to Kumartuli from their villages." "Other artisans are also getting orders for idols, albeit smaller in size, from local puja committees but the numbers so far are lesser than last year's. We badly want things to look up," she said. SUS SBN ACD ACD

In a first, Kumartuli artisan ships Durga idol to Australia amid COVID-19 outbreak

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6921472" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="samaj-sebi-sangha">Samaj Sebi Sangha</keyword> came up with an innovative idea to devote their 73rd puja celebration to the blind by creating a <keyword id="6357958" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="durga">Durga</keyword> pandal with nails and threads. </li><li>The creators want people to enter the space and feel the texture of the sculpture. </li><li>The committee has also made sure that the visually impaired and pregnant women do not need a separate entry card for VIP entrance.</li></ul>Have you ever seen a sculpture made entirely of nails and that too with a purpose? <keyword id="6357908" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="durga-puja">Durga Puja</keyword> is one of the most widely celebrated Hindu festivals in India. And, during this year’s Durga Puja, one of the organising committees in <keyword id="6354925" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="kolkata">Kolkata</keyword>, the Samaj Sebi Sangha, decided to take things up a notch by <a href="https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/a-durga-puja-pandal-to-touch-for-the-visually-impaired/cid/1671368">constructing</a> a Durga idol so that even the visually impaired can experience the statue. Breaching the usual norms of a Durga Puja pandal - to not to touch the artefacts - Samaj Sebi committee has been motivating people to touch Durga’s face instead. It’s an initiative to promote inclusive celebration and they even devoted their 73rd puja to the sightless and the blind. The sculpture of Durga has been put together using 20,000 screws and 1,200 nails at the entrance of the pandal. Though not the whole Durga, the sculpture has the face and the eyes of the goddess. The committee has also carved out a wall display with different thread patterns to form words like ‘Ma’ and ‘Jai Maa Durga’. The visually impaired are also being provided with a puja itinerary with in-depth information about the details of festivals in <keyword id="6363733" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="BRAILLE">Braille</keyword>. In a conversation with Business Insider India, Chandan Basu from Samaj Sebi Sangha said, “We have created this pandal for the visually impaired people so that they can feel the Durga Puja. We also wanted to educate the general people to donate their eyes after death to give light to the visually impaired. Samaj sebi sangha always pass a social message every year.” Samaj Sebi also partnered with Voice of the world to help visually impaired children enjoy the festival. Moreover, it has set up an eye donation camp with M.P Birla <keyword id="6607668" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="eye-bank">Eye bank</keyword> near the pandal. According to Samaj Sebi, 85 people have already pledged to donate their eyes. And it’s not just about the visually impaired. The Samaj Sebi Sangha has provided wheelchair and stretcher facilities for the old as well as differently-abled people. The surprise doesn’t end here.The puja committee also encouraged visually impaired children to perform in the cultural evening conducted on 16th October 2016 at the puja premises. This isn’t the first time that the committee has been in the news for its innovative approach towards Durga Puja. Just last year their display garnered appreciation for being India’s longest ‘Alpona’, which is a type of graffiti made in India using rice flour paste. Here is a glimpse of the creative Durga Puja concept

Blind-friendly deity sculpture made from 1,200 nails and 20,000 screws helps the visually impaired ‘see’ Durga Puja

<keyword id="48284" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="navratri" source="Orion">Navratri</keyword> is the most auspicious puja that Hindu households perform with a great religious fervor and enthusiasm. Translating as ‘Nine Nights’, <keyword id="1634704" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Navratri-puja" source="Orion">Navratri puja</keyword> has two versions namely Chaitra Navratri falling during the month of March- April and Sharada Navratri falling during this month of October. Sharada Navaratri puja will be performed between Ocotber 15, 2023 to October 23, 2023. Here is a simple do at home <keyword id="8936309" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Puja-Procedure" source="Orion">puja procedure</keyword> for Navratri. Durga, the goddess of victory is worshipped in nine forms. Each day of Navratri is dedicated to worshipping one of these forms. Nine Forms of Durga To worship during Navratri <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Day of Navratri </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Date in 2023 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Presiding deity for the day </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Day - 1</td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">October 15 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Shilaputri </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Day – 2 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">October 16 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Brahmacharni </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Day – 3 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">October 17 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Chandraghanta </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Day – 4</td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">October 18 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Kushmanda </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Day – 5 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">October 19 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Skandamata </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Day – 6 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">October 20 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Katyayani </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Day – 7 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">October 21 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Kalratri </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Day – 8 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">October 22 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mahagauri </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Day – 9 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">October 23 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.8333325pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Siddhidatri </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>Navratri Puja preparations Ma Durga is the embodiment of compassion, wisdom, glory and power. She blesses the devotees with prosperity and courage. On the first day of puja, the household performing Navratri puja must do Kalash Sthapana or the installation of the sacred puja pot. Spread a piece of red cloth. Place a picture of Ma Durga on it. Spread some red soil in front of the picture and sprinkle some water. Sow some barley seeds on it and then place an earthen pot in the center. Add some Ganga Jal in the pot and drop some roli into the pot. On the mouth of the kalash, place a bunch of mango leaves and place a lid on the pot. Add some rice on the lid and place a coconut wrapped with red cloth on the lid. Navratri Everyday Puja procedure Light the lamp and incense sticks. Offer some flowers to Ma Durga and decorate the picture or idol with vermilion, chandan and turmeric paste. Every day during the puja, sprinkle some water on the barley seeds you had sown. Offer some interesting dishes you specially prepared for the puja. Do arati to Maa Durga. Distribute the Prasad to the invitees and members of the family. Do this puja everyday over the nine days of Navratri. Eighth day puja Continue the daily puja during Navratri on all the nine days in the same fashion discussed above. On the eighth day of the Navratri puja, invite nine small girls to home. They are considered to be the nine forms of Durga. Treat them with a special meal and give them some small gifts they would like. Visarjan on the tenth day Following the nine days of Navratri puja, Visarjan or giving a sendoff to Ma Durga is done on the tenth day. Do the regular puja as you had done on the nine days of Navratri. After the puja, sprinkle the kalash water in all rooms of the house. Feed birds with the rice you had kept on the kalash lid. The barley seeds would have grown well over the ten days. Place them under a tree in the garden. The benefits of Navratri puja Navratri puja is believed to bring prosperity and wealth to the household. Ma Durga blesses the family with health, wealth, wisdom and success.

How to do navratri puja: simple puja procedure for every home

Navratri is celebrated for nine nights and ten days during autumn across India. The Hindu festival is celebrated for various reasons in different parts of the country. However, the one thing it has in common is celebrating Maa Durga and her power. Navratri always occurs in the months of Ashvin or Ashvina, which generally falls between September and October as per the lunar calendar. In 2020, Navratri will kick off on Saturday, October 17, and come to an end on Sunday, October 25 — typically celebrated as Dussehra or the tenth day. The first day is indicated by Amavasya, or a new moon, which marks the beginning of the Navratri puja. The last day of Navratri is also known as Vijayadasami. Navratri puja deities In most parts of the country, the nine nights of Navratri are dedicated to worshipping the nine forms of Ma Durga — Shilaputri, Brahmacharni, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Maha Gauri, and Siddhidatri. However, some divide the days between Ma Durga, Lakshmi — the goddess of wealth and prosperity — and Saraswati, revered for knowledge, music, art, wisdom, and nature. The first three days of Navratri are dedicated to worship Goddess Durga, the next three days are reserved to worship Goddess Lakshmi, and the third set of three days for Goddess Saraswati. How to celebrate Navratri Navratri puja is usually done daily during the nine days of Navratri, most often in the evenings after sunset. The first Navratri puja is usually the Ganpati puja. Following this, the presiding deities of Navratri puja are worshipped on various days, depending on different traditions. The underlying commonality between all forms of the puja is honoring Maa Durga. During the puja, devotees honor the goddess by performing rituals and worshipping an idol or picture of her. Different dishes are prepared and offered to the deity on each day. At the end of the daily puja, prasad is offered, and aarti is conducted — a form of puja where lights/Diya is offered to the deity. Some choose to perform the puja within their homes, while others participate with the community at a temple. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the imposed norms of social distancing, it's likely that most devotees will avoid leaving the house. The biggest and grandest puja of them all happens on the last day of Vijayadashami. It marks the culmination of Navratri. In pre-COVID times, Navratri's ten-day-long celebrations included dancing, music programs, dramas, fairs, and other events. Navratri fasting During Navratri, some people choose to observe a fast for all the nine days in honour of the deities. The fasting starts in the morning and lasts till the evening. After the daily puja, people break the fast by partaking in the prasad offered to the deity. Navratri Kolu In some regions, Navratri Kolu or the dolls of gods and goddesses are arranged on a multi-tier pedestal made during Navratri. The number of steps in the whole arrangement can be three, five, seven, or nine. These steps are covered with decorative clothes and dolls of goddesses, gods, humans, heroes, animals, toys, and others in a hierarchical order and decorated for the event. The Kolu is arranged on the first day of Navratri with a Kalash or Purna Kumbh. The set up remains in the puja room for nine days and dismantled after the Vijayadashami puja. The story of Navratri The legend goes that once upon a time, there was a demon called Mahishasura who had the face of a buffalo. This resulted from a powerful boon he received from Lord Brahma, according to which a male human or animal could not defeat Mahishasura. Because of that clause, Maa Durga was the only one who could defeat him and end the atrocities done by the demon to save the world. Maa Durga fought with the demon for nine days, and these nine days are known and celebrated as Navratri. On the final day of Vijayadashami, Maa Durga defeated the demon and saved the world. This is a festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil.

Navratri 2020: Puja dates, time and everything you need to know

New Delhi, Apr 28 () Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis in India and other parts of the world on Tuesday. 3:00 p.m. Indians still in Wuhan say asymptomatic cases raise fears of second wave of coronavirus. 2:56 p.m. Mumbai cops aged above 55 asked to go on leave, in view of the deaths of threepolicemen in the last three days due to COVID-19 disease. 2:53 p.m. Corporates to donate COVID-19 testing machines to MP government. 2:48 p.m. Centre should exercise care while procuring equipment to fight COVID-19, BSP president Mayawati says. 2:35 p.m. Two city police personnel and a flower vendor at the Koyambedu market in Chennai test positive for the coronavirus. 2:32 p.m. IT services companies to suspend hiring this year, IT industry veteran T V Mohandas Pai says. 2:29 p.m. BJP MLA in UP caught on video telling people not to buy vegetables from Muslim vendors. 2:18 p.m. UK to hold a minute's silence for COVID-19 healthcare victims. 2:12 p.m. Urgent need for measures to prevent economy from falling into slumber, says industrialist Sajjan Jindal. 2:01 p.m. Singapore reports 528 new coronavirus cases, majority of them linked to foreign workers. 1:58 p.m.The 73-year-old mother and wife of a police constable have tested positive for COVID-19 in Navi Mumbai, official says. 1:44 p.m. Hazur Sahib Gurudwara on alert as eight pilgrims contract COVID-19. 1:37 p.m. NITI Aayog building sealed for 48 hrs after staffer tests COVID-19 positive. 1:07 p.m. Over 2 million people download contact tracing app in Australia. 12:47 p.m. China says it is deeply concerned about ICMR's decision to not use COVID-19 test kits from two Chinese firms. 12:40 p.m. Eight new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Karnataka as total infections rises to 520 in the state. 12:05 p.m. Kumartuli idol makers staring at huge losses as Durga puja organisers from abroad cancel orders. 12:01 p.m. Eighty two fresh COVID-19 cases reported in AP, tally touches 1,259. 11:24 a.m. A 31-year-old Indian man, who was apprehended on the suspicion of illegally crossing into America through the US-Mexico border, has tested positive for the COVID-19, becoming the first individual in the border protection agency's custody to be infected with the virus. 11:23 a.m. Cops who arrested rioters in Bengaluru test negative for COVID-19. 11:16 a.m. Two people test positive for coronavirus in Santkabirnagar district in UP. 11:14 a.m. A policeman was injured when some locals allegedly threw stones at security personnel trying to enforce lockdown in an area of Gujarat's Surat city. 11:11 a.m. Loss of smell may indicate mild to moderate COVID-19, study says. 11:05 a.m.ITI develops protective device for frontline health professionals. 10:59 a.m. 1,658 held in Manipur for violating curfew and lockdown norms and fine of Rs 1.99 lakh was collected, officials say. 10:58 a.m. People who have very mild symptoms of coronavirus or those pre-symptomatic can opt for home isolation if they have the requisite self-isolation facility, the Union Health ministry says. 10:56 a.m. Six Thailand nationals, arrested for violating visa norms and were undergoing treatment for coronavirus at a government hospital in Erode were discharged and shifted to Chennai prison, police say. 10:22 a.m. Extremists are taking advantage of global COVID-19 lockdowns to recruit youths online, UN chief Antonio Guterres says. 10:21 a.m. Beijing is set to shut coronavirus special hospital after clearing all cases. 9:37 a.m. COVID-19 death toll rises to 934 in country as cases climb to 29,435, Union Health Ministry says. 8:59 a.m. US President Donald Trump says the country is doing 'very serious' investigation against China. VIS VISVIS

Coronavirus: Latest updates on COVID-19 crisis around the world

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/Ajay VermaHindu women apply "sindhur", or vermillion powder, on the face of a woman after worshipping the idol of the Hindu goddess Durga on the last day of the Durga Puja festival in Chandigarh, India October 11, 2016.</div></div></div>Hello! Here's what you need to know on Wednesday.1. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/can-trump-win-the-election-2016-10">Donald Trump's chances of winning the election are quickly diminishing, new polls show</a>. One data-journalism site says the Republican nominee has a less-than 20% chance of winning in November in all three of its election forecasts.2. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/sterling-price-movements-on-tuesday-october-11-2016-10">The pound suffered another horrible day on Tuesday</a>. Britain's currency hit a fresh 31-year low against the dollar in early trading, falling below $1.23 for the first time since 1985.3. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/afp-haitians-rebuild-as-aid-effort-gains-traction-2016-10">People in Haiti have begun rebuilding their lives after Hurricane Matthew devastated the island</a>. More than 1,000 people are thought to have been killed by the storm.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/partner-fund-management-sues-theranos-2016-10"></a>4. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/afp-is-propaganda-arm-weakened-by-military-setbacks-study-2016-10">ISIS' propaganda arm has been massively weakened by military setbacks</a>. A new study says the self-proclaimed caliphate is "struggling to maintain the outward appearance of a functioning state."5. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/afp-lawyers-will-not-defend-main-paris-attacks-suspect-2016-10">Lawyers for the main Paris attacks suspect have said they will not defend him anymore.</a> Lawyer Frank Burton says they "don't think that he will speak and he will use the right to remain silent."6. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/samsung-galaxy-note-7-recall-dead-chart-2016-10">The failure of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 could cost Samsung up to $17 billion</a>. The flagship phone was meant to be Samsung's counter to the iPhone 7 but it simply wouldn't stop blowing up.7. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/r-philippines-set-to-roll-out-tough-no-smoking-law-2016-10">The Philippines is set to roll out one of the world's toughest no-smoking laws</a>. Smoking will be banned in all public spaces - both indoor and outdoor - and anyone found breaking the law can be imprisoned for up to four months.8. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/us-russia-relations-trump-syria-2016-10">The US and Russia have quietly reached their biggest chill in relations since the Cold War</a>. Ties took a nosedive when Washington announced it would be suspending its negotiations with Moscow over its refusal to halt airstrikes on Aleppo.9. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/google-kings-cross-hq-2016-10">Google reportedly aims to start building its new London mega office by the end of 2017</a>. Plans for the $1 billion office were first announced in 2017.10. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/ap-kim-kardashian-west-sues-online-media-outlet-for-libel-2016-10">Kim Kardashian West is suing an online publication for libel</a>. The publication accused Kardashian of faking a robbery which saw jewellery worth $10 million taken from her Paris apartment. And finally ...<a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/bmw-vision-next-100-motorcycle-photos-2016-10">BMW just unveiled a stunning motorcycle concept that comes with augmented reality glasses</a>. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/oxford-economics-gregory-daco-hillary-clinton-minimum-wage-too-much-too-fast-2016-10">An economist explains why Clinton's plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 might be 'too much, too quickly'</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="I5bHlhNjE6SP62qMZWa87cbE4xnfQlVb" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

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