Durga Pooja

Slayer of Mahishasura, the buffalo demon, Durga resembles Greek mythical spirit Eudaemon; Symbol of motherhood, strength, safety, destruction and wars, Amalgamation of goddesses and their divine source...! Myths hold she miraculously emerged from Ganges Holy, Culmination of powers of all gods wrapped her wholly; She rides on lion exhibiting limitless power, As Kali, in blood of wrong-doers she takes her shower...! ===== === As Durga Pooja is solemnized her auspicious day, Prayers and offerings accompany her statues of clay; Like waves of seas within temples devotees assemble, Earth and heaven witnessing this scene within them tremble...! Invoking her - Bodhon - is the grand initiation, As Goddess of goddesses follows her coronation; She's bathed, beautified, adorned as a bride of highest norms, Graced with nine pastoral leaves symbolizing her nine forms...! Offerings of flowers and hymns like ceaseless winds follow, Adoration-chimes echo around each hilly hallow; An immaculate girl, in the form of goddess, is graced, As though her very incarnation near her she is placed...! One hundred and eight lamps are lit when the goddess rises, Frenzy musicians play maladies of surprises; On ninth day, men and women with blazing charcoal pots, dance, Holding them on head or hand or by teeth go into trance...! Wearing vermillion on forehead wedded women surround, Bid farewell to the goddess while aloud their quenches sound; Taken in ceremonious procession, she's immersed, Into Ganges, wherefrom her existence, got nursed...! (Though there’s little of poesy in it, I have written this in order to give general information to the Poetry Soup Friends about one of the important autumn-time religious festivals of India) 01 October 2022