The Bengali community in Mysore will celebrate Durga Puja on Saturday.

Mysore, October 12, 2013: For a city already reeling with Dasara fervour, Saturday’s Durga Puja is sure to mark a new high.

Special prayer sessions have been arranged at Chamundeshwari temple and other places of worship for the thousands of tourists and devotees that will congregate there throughout the day. Durgashtami holds a special significance in Dasara; it was on this day that the Goddess Chamundeshwari slayed the demon Mahishasura, according to legend.

The Bengali diaspora in the city are doing their bit to enliven the celebrations. Durgashtami will feature special prayers and rituals organised by members of the Bangiya Samiti at the Shivamma P.V. Mahadevappa Kalyana Mantapa off KRS Road.

A life-size idol of Goddess Durga, astride a lion and slaying the demon Mahishasura, symbolising the victory of good over evil, was installed by the samiti. They have been celebrating this event for around 35 years.

The idol was painstakingly crafted by artisan Bishwanath Pal of Kolkata, and will greet visitors at the Kalyana Mantapa, alongside other deities including Ganesh, Karthikeya, Lakshmi and Saraswati.

Tapan Kumar Chakrabarthy, samiti founder-president, told The Hindu that being a linguistic minority in the city, there are about 250 families who are members of the samiti that regularly celebrate the festival with devotion.

“This is not only an occasion for celebration but also a social get-together,” he added.

Ashtami is the most important day of the festival, which began on Thursday with Maha Sasthi. Sandhi Puja will commence on Saturday at 3.48 p.m. and conclude at 4.36 p.m., he added.

Vijayadashmi will bring the curtains down on Durga Puja celebrations and the community members will take the idol in a procession for immersion in the Cauvery.

Source: The Hindu, October 12, 2013