Community feasts, fun mark Bengal’s Durga puja Mahanavami

Kolkata: People enjoyed lip-smacking community feasts at marquees and visited friends and relatives on Mahanavami, the fourth day of West Bengal’s biggest festival Durga Puja on Tuesday.
Revellers savored every moment of the puja spirit, in the metropolis, towns and villages of the state.
Many people visited the homes of their friends and relatives and indulged in banter and lighthearted chat, before partaking bhog (community feasts of food items offered to the Goddess first) at the marquees. The menu comprised a wide range of
dishes, from luchis (poori bread) to khichuri (rice and lentils), vegetable items, to fish and even mutton.
Earlier, the main puja for Maha Navami or the ninth lunar day began after the end of Sandhi Puja held at
the confluence of Maha Ashtami (eighth lunar day) and Maha Navami around 4-30 PM on Monday.
Hindu mythology says Goddess Durga killed Chando and Mundo, two asuras (demons) at the confluence (Sandhi) of Mahashtami and Mahanavami.
As part of the Mahanaami Goddess Durga was worshipped as the undefeated – and offered her favourite food items. This was followed by Maha Arati concluding the rituals.
The idols will be immersed in the rivers and ponds and other waterbodies on dashami, which falls on Wednesday this year.
Mythology says that the Puja celebrates the annual descent of the Goddess – accompanied by her four children Ganesh, Kartik, Lakshmi and Saraswati – – on earth to visit her parents. She stays for four days to eradicate all evil from the earth before returning to her husband Lord Shiva at Kailash on Dashami. (UNI)