Durga Puja 2023: Check How it Celebrated in Other Countries (Outside India)

Durga Puja is the most important Hindu festival in the world, celebrating the goddess Durga, the slayer of demons. It is celebrated for ten days, culminating in the immersion of clay idols of the goddess in rivers and lakes. The festival is celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm in India, Bangladesh, and other countries with a significant Hindu population.

Here is a look at how Durga Puja is celebrated in some countries outside India:

Bangladesh

Durga Puja is celebrated as a national holiday in Bangladesh, where it is known as Bijoya Dashami. The festival is celebrated with great pomp and grandeur, with pandals (temporary temples) erected all over the country. On the fifth day of the festival, known as Mahalaya, devotees start preparing for the puja by cleaning and decorating their homes and pandals. On the sixth day, known as Shashthi, the idols of Durga and her four children, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, and Kartik, are installed in the pandals.

On the seventh day, known as Saptami, the puja begins in earnest. Devotees offer prayers and flowers to the goddess Durga and her children. The puja continues for the next three days, with special rituals being performed on each day. On the tenth and final day, known as Dashami, the idols of Durga and her children are immersed in rivers and lakes.

Nepal

Durga Puja is also celebrated with great fervour in Nepal. The festival is known as Dashain and is celebrated for 15 days. The first nine days of the festival are dedicated to the worship of the goddess Durga, while the last six days are dedicated to the worship of her husband, Lord Shiva.

On the first day of Dashain, known as Ghatasthapana, devotees plant a barley seed in a pot of soil. The barley seed is said to represent the goddess Durga and is worshipped throughout the festival. On the seventh day of Dashain, known as Fulpati, devotees offer flowers to the goddess Durga.

On the tenth and final day of Dashain, known as Tika, devotees receive tika (auspicious red mark) from their elders. The tika is said to bestow the blessings of the goddess Durga and Lord Shiva.

United States

Durga Puja is celebrated in many cities across the United States, including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Pandals are erected in community centres and temples, and devotees come together to worship the goddess Durga.

On the tenth and final day of the festival, the idols of Durga are immersed in rivers and lakes. In some cities, such as New York, the immersion ceremony is held in the Hudson River.

United Kingdom

Durga Puja is also celebrated in the United Kingdom, with pandals being erected in temples and community centres across the country. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm, with devotees coming together to worship the goddess Durga.

On the tenth and final day of the festival, the idols of Durga are immersed in rivers and lakes. In some cities, such as London, the immersion ceremony is held in the River Thames.

Other countries

Durga Puja is also celebrated in other countries with a significant Hindu population, such as Canada, Australia, and Singapore. Pandals are erected in temples and community centres, and devotees come together to worship the goddess Durga.

On the tenth and final day of the festival, the idols of Durga are immersed in rivers and lakes. In some cities, such as Toronto, the immersion ceremony is held in Lake Ontario.

 Durga Puja is a special time for Hindus all over the world. It is a time to come together and celebrate the goddess Durga, who is a symbol of strength, power, and courage.