Bondhu Mahal Samiti, a social organization committed to the betterment of children and underprivileged communities, will celebrate its 10th Durga Puja this year. The event will unfold from the 19th to the 24th of October 2023 at the Rajendra Singh Park, located in B-Block Indira Nagar, Lucknow.

The grand festivities of the Durga Puja Utsav will start with soulful Bhajan renditions—religious hymns devoted to the revered Goddess Durga—on October 19.

The festivities will start picking up from October 20 as Goddess Durga graces the Pandal with a heartwarming welcome during the Shasti Puja ceremony. This ceremonial affair will also encompass the enchanting Chandi Path (Mahalya) and the serene bodhon in the evening.

Anticipation builds on October 21, when the pandal will come alive with the exuberance of Maha Saptami puja, marking the advent of the second day of the joyful Durga Puja – and seventh day of Navratri.

The eighth day of the Durga Puja, falling on October 22, will be celebrated in all its splendor through the vibrant Pushpanjali ritual. This vibrant event will also feature the revered Maha Ashtami puja, along with the significant Sandhi Puja, a pivotal forty-eight-minute-long ritual occurring from 04:54 to 05:42 pm. During this sacred interval, devotees pay homage to Maa Durga in her powerful Chamunda form, illuminated by the offering of 108 lamps.

As the glorious festival progresses, the ninth day, October 23, will commence with the enchanting Pushpanjali ceremony in the morning. The day will further unfold with the observance of Maha Navami puja, dedicated to Maa Durga's embodiment as Mahishasuramardini.

The much-awaited tenth and final day, Vijaya Dashami, falling on October 24, will be marked by the joyous Sindoor Khela tradition. During this ritual, women lovingly apply sindoor, or vermillion, to Ma Durga, and share in its application amongst themselves. This cherished custom symbolizes the earnest desire for a harmonious and blissful marital life for married women.

Following the jubilant culmination of Durga Puja, the celebrations will continue as Lakshmi Puja takes center stage at Rajendra Singh Park, B-Block Indira Nagar, Lucknow, on the evening of October 28, 2023, starting at 08:00 pm.

— Written by Ritik Bhadra