Berlin Durga Puja 2006

Welcome to Berlin Durga Puja The autumn brings the mood of festivity and we, the Hindu Bengali community of Berlin, celebrate Durgotsav, also called Sharodotsav, the festival of Goddess Durga. Now, Durga Puja is being celebrated in various other major cities of Germany, though Berlin Durga Puja remains the oldest Durgotsav in Germany celebrated every year since its inception in 1975 and with the blessings of the mother Goddess without any interruption so far. In the initial years due to the lack of our own
community premises, the Puja venue shifted from one place to the other. In and around early eighties, the Puja was celebrated in the premises of the Indian club Bharat Majlis for some years, but soon we were again on the move. At last in 1990, we found the auspicious haven at the club house of the International Students Hostel with the help of a few ardent Bengali Indian students and since then the Berlin Durgotsav has been taking place every year at the club house thanks to the kind support of both the Students Committee & the University Administration. In India, the festive mood of Durga Puja begins on the autumn new moon day with the invocation of Goddess Durga to descend on earth called Mahalaya. At predawn on Mahalaya, All India Radio broadcasts Mahisasura Mardini in the enchanting voice of the one and only Late Birendra Krishna Bhadra every year since 1930s. In many parts of India Navaratri is observed as a fasting period. The actual Durga Puja ceremony starts on the evening of the sixth day with Mahasashti and concludes with the immersion ceremony on the tenth day Bijayadashami. In Berlin, we observe the Durga Puja ceremony traditionally for five days beginning with Mahasashti through to Bijayadashami. In 1991, we started an extra cultural & get-together function Bijaya Sammelani and since then it has been held regularly on the following saturday evening after Bijayadashami, which is unique in its kind and draws a huge multinational gathering. The festival finally ends with Laxmi Puja which falls on the full moon day, thus marking a fortnight long festival period. Since its inception, the Berlin tradition of Durgotsav still remains serving of pure vegetarian food Prasad to the devotees & visitors on all five Puja days, which is readily cooked with devotion by community members right at the venue.
“Yaa Devi Sarva Bhooteshu Shakthi Roopena Samsthita Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namaha”
(Salutations to the Goddess who resides in all beings in the form of energy)