.svg)
Get ready to embrace the spirit of power and triumph on Durga Ashtami, which is celebrated with great fervor on October 10! This significant festive day is dedicated to the Warrior Goddess Durga, who symbolizes the victory of good over evil. According to the revered Hindu scriptures, Durga Ashtami marks the day when Goddess Durga annihilated the demon Mahishasura after a fierce nine-day battle. The day invokes a sense of strength and righteousness, celebrating the power of the feminine divine. Join us in honoring Goddess Durga in all her glory, as we steep ourselves in the festive spirit surrounded by vibrant rituals, colourful dances, melodious hymns, and, of course, delicious food!
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1600s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Origin in Folklore</div><div class='timeline-text'>Durga Ashtami's roots trace back to ancient folklore during the 1600s, focusing on tales of divine feminine power overcoming evil.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1700s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Rituals Formalized</div><div class='timeline-text'>By the 1700s, the rituals and practices associated with Durga Ashtami became more structured within Hindu communities.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1800s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Cultural Integration</div><div class='timeline-text'>Throughout the 1800s, Durga Ashtami was integrated into major festive calendars, solidifying its importance in Hindu culture.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1900s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>National Celebration</div><div class='timeline-text'>In the 1900s, Durga Ashtami gained recognition as a national festival across India, celebrated by millions.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2000s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Global Observance</div><div class='timeline-text'>By the 2000s, Indian diaspora communities around the world began to observe Durga Ashtami, spreading its significance globally.</div></div></div>
<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-header'><h3 class='facts-number'>1</h3></div><div class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 class='facts-title'>Create a Home Altar</h3><p class='facts-text'>Deck out a corner of your home with festive decorations, pictures, and idols of Goddess Durga. Light incense, sprinkle flower petals and light up traditional lamps to create an environment of reverence and worship.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-header'><h3 class='facts-number'>2</h3></div><div class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 class='facts-title'>Prepare Prasad sweets</h3><p class='facts-text'>Durga Ashtami is incomplete without traditional Indian sweets offered as sanctified food, or Prasad. Cook up some gulab jamun, kheeror, or Pongal at home and distribute them among your friends and family after your prayers.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-header'><h3 class='facts-number'>3</h3></div><div class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 class='facts-title'>Participate in Dhunuchi Dance</h3><p class='facts-text'>The Dhunuchi dance is traditionally performed with large clay incense burners. If that seems too challenging, simply play some traditional Bengali folk music and let yourself loose!</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-header'><h3 class='facts-number'>4</h3></div><div class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 class='facts-title'>Host a Bhajan Evening</h3><p class='facts-text'>Invite friends, family, and neighbors for a devotional hymns, or bhajan, evening at your home. It’s a great way to bring people together and escalate the festive spirit.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-header'><h3 class='facts-number'>5</h3></div><div class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 class='facts-title'>Attend a Durga Puja ceremony</h3><p class='facts-text'>Visit your local Hindu temple or community center to participate in the Durga Puja ceremony. It is a soul-stirring experience with choirs singing hymns, mesmerizing dance performances, and the sense of community and shared joy.</p></div></div>
<div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>A</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Celebration of Feminine Power</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>Durga Ashtami is a unique festival that celebrates the power and strength of the feminine divine! It's an opportunity to honor the Warrior Goddess Durga, a symbol of victory over evil, making it a wonderful day to recognize and pay homage to women's strength around the world.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>B</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Rich Cultural Experience</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>The festival is steeped in vibrant rituals, colourful dances, and soulful hymns. This day provides a way to immerse oneself in Indian culture, enjoy traditional Bengali folk music, and witness mesmerizing dance performances at Durga Puja.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>C</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Community and Togetherness</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>Durga Ashtami promotes a sense of togetherness. Between decorating home altars, preparing traditional Indian sweets, or attending community prayers, it provides chances to bring friends, family, and neighbors together. And in doing so, it helps to foster collective joy and a deeper sense of community.</p></div></div>
<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>1</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Durga Ashtami Features Kumari Puja</h3><p class='facts-content'>The worship of a young girl, known as Kumari Puja, is one of the significant rituals performed on Durga Ashtami. The young girl symbolizes the manifestation of the divine feminine power and is treated as Goddess Durga herself.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>2</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Durga Ashtami is a Day of Fasting</h3><p class='facts-content'>Many devotees observe a day-long fast known as Ashtami Vratam on Durga Ashtami. It is considered auspicious and is believed to bring prosperity and good luck.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>3</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Fire Rituals or Havans are a Major Part of Durga Ashtami</h3><p class='facts-content'>On Durga Ashtami, a special fire ritual or havan is performed. It involves offerings made to the sacred fire symbolizing the presence of Goddess Durga.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>4</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Durga Ashtami Marks the Victory over Mahishasura</h3><p class='facts-content'>Durga Ashtami is celebrated as the day when Goddess Durga defeated the buffalo-demon Mahishasura, signifying the triumph of good over evil. The day symbolizes the power of Shakti - the primeval force of the Divine Feminine.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>5</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Bhog is Considered an Important Offering on Durga Ashtami</h3><p class='facts-content'>On Durga Ashtami, a special vegetarian meal called 'bhog' is offered to Goddess Durga and later distributed amongst the devotees. It usually consists of traditional sweets and meals, and consumption of the bhog is considered to bring blessings and good luck.</p></div></div>
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
