Prabasi of  New England, the oldest Bengali nonprofit organization (501.c.3), established in the 1980’s, celebrated its biggest festival of the year, Durga Puja on September 23^rd  and 24th in Framingham High School. Over 2000 people attended this event over the course of two days.

Durga Puja was performed with great devotion and rituals like Nabapatrika Puja, Sandhi Puja ( the lighting of 108 Lamps at the juncture of Ashtami and Nabami Puja) and Dadhi Karma the final offering of sweets to Ma Durga before departing to her husband’s house.

Food was catered and cooked fresh at the venue and kids were served their own choice of pasta and pizza from Bertucci's.

For entertainment, two premium artists from Kolkata, India, Rupankar Bagchi and Anupam Roy came to rock the evenings in front of over 750 people each night. Over 100 participants took part in a song and dance medley to be enjoyed by all.

It is is an event that is enjoyed by all: both young and old. Durga Puja is a time to come together with your family and friends to reminiscence and participate in all that makes us Bengali!

It is also known as chandi aradhana and akalbodhan. It is the fight between Durga and Mahishasur so Durga is also known as Mahishasur Mardini.

All the gods and goddesses gave Durga their weapons and made her the most powerful and shakti shali goddess so she can defeat Mahishasur who was supposed to be killed by a woman.

Durga pujo is celebrated in the month of Ashwin that is September and October which is sarat, so it is also called sarotutsab.

Durga after defeating the demon, Mahshasur comes to her parents with all her children, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartik to celebrate her victory over the asur.

She stays at her parents for 10 days which is the day from mahalaya till dashami. Her pujo starts with shasti, then saptami, ashtami, navami and then dashami.

But in betweeen ashtami and navami there is sandhi pujo which is a very powerful pujo which depicts the war between durga and mahishasur. It is also the 108 lamp pujo and the sacrifice of fruits, vegetables and animals.

Then on Dashami, Durga goes back to her husband. Married women perform the sindur khela.

This is one of the biggest celebrations in the Hindu communities all over India as well as the whole Hindu world.

                                    Bolo durga mai ki jai jai jai!!!!

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