Jqeq 22nd oct ishani

सर्वमंगल म ंगल्ये शिर्े सर् वर्व स धिकेे
िरण्ये त्र्यंबेे गौरी न र यणि नमोऽस्तुततुे
22nd Oct2020
JQEQ
9:30pm
QM:IshitaDas
Ishani –

When Durga emerged from the waters of the holy Ganga as a spirit, she
was given a physical form by all the gods put together.
Her face was created by X and her torso crafted by Y. Her breasts were
made by Chandra and her teeth by Brahma. The lower part of her body
was made by Bhudevi, Varuna sculpted her thighs and knees, and Agni
created the Goddess’s Z.
Thus she was a supreme power created with a combination of the
powers of all the other gods. So was born Goddess Durga or
‘Mahamaya’
Give X, Y and Z
Q # 1

When Durga emerged from the waters of the holy Ganga as a spirit, she
was given a physical form by all the gods put together.
Her face was created by Shiva and her torso crafted by Indra. Her
breasts were made by Chandra and her teeth by Brahma. The lower
part of her body was made by Bhudevi, Varuna sculpted her thighs and
knees, and Agni created the Goddess’s Eyes (Agnilochana)
Thus she was a supreme power created with a combination of the
powers of all the other gods. So was born Goddess Durga or
‘Mahamaya’

Weapons of the Goddess to kill the Mahishashura were imparted by
various Gods
1 Trident or Trishul: Shiva
2. Discus or Sudarshan Chakra: Vishnu
3. Thunderbolt or Vajra:
4. Conch:
5. Spear:
6. Sword:
7. Bow and arrows:
8. Club or axe:
9. Lotus:
10. Snake:
• Vahana Lion –
Q # 2

Weapons of the Goddess to kill the Mahishashura
were imparted by various Gods
1 Trident or trishul: Shiva.
2. Discus or Sudarshan Chakra: Vishnu
3. Thunderbolt or vajra: Indra.
4. Conch: Varuna
5. Spear: Agni
6. Sword: Yama
7. Bow and arrows: Vayu
8. Club or axe:Vishwakarma
9. Lotus: Brahma
10. Snake: Shiva
• Vahana Lion – Himalaya

As per the Markandeya Purana, the actual time of the Durga Puja is in
spring. The invocation of the Goddess in autumn was a practice started
by Lord Rama in order to appease the Devi before killing Ravana.
Strangely this practice of “Akalbodhan” was popularised by Krittivas
Ojha in his Bengali translation of Valmiki’s Ramayana.
In contrast, who was the deity that Rama actually appeased before
killing Ravana in the original Valmiki text ?
A twist in the tale. There is a reason apart from mythology (Krittivas
Ramayana) to actual socio-anthromorphology in Bengal to shift the
celebrations from Basanti Puja to Akalbodhan. What is the reason ?
Q # 3

Rama actually appeased Suryadev before killing Ravana in the original
Valmiki text. Sage Augustya taught Rama the 30 slokas of
“Adityahridayam” to invoke the Sun God.
During Springtime the epidemic of small pox (Basanta) used to strike in
Bengal. An epidemic in 1770 killed about 63,000 in Murshidabad alone.
So festivity during the season was clouded by mass deaths. Hence the
large scale puja and festivity shifted to autumn from spring.

In Vaishnavism , the feminine Goddess is also depicted as three forms as
per the three “prakritis”.
In Tamas Guna , she is depicted as X
In Raja Guna , she is depicted as Y
In Sattva Guna , she is depicted as Z
Give me X, Y and Z
Q # 4

In Vaishnavism , the feminine Goddess Lakshmi is also depicted as three
forms as per the three “prakritis”.
In Tamas Guna , she is depicted as Durga
In Raja Guna , she is depicted as Bhudevi
In Sattva Guna , she is depicted as Sridevi

Name the mythical king of Bengal who is credited to have started the Durga
Puja.
Folklore has it that he lost his kingdom and property and left his capital to
re-explore his life. On advise of Sumedha Muni, this king along with his
companion Boishyo Samadhi, worshipped Goddess Durga at Garh Jungle,
West Bengal during Spring time. During this puja , he sacrificed lakhs of
animals. Interestingly , his capital got a name from this act.
Name the king and his capital
Q # 5

Raja Surath
Bolpur from ‘Bolipur’ originating from ‘Boli’ or sacrifice

 Similar Deities in other cultures – 5 questions

In Buddhism , the Mother Goddess as a saviouress is manifested as an
important Deity. She is imagined to have originated from the tears of
‘Avalokiteshwara” according to Tibetan Buddhism , and hence a female
representation of Bodhisattva.
As per one school of thought, the deity manifests herself as Nepalese
Princess Bhrikuti , or the Chinese princess Wencheng.
She is the feminine principle who is personified as “prajnaparamita”
and worshipped as one of the ten Mahavidyas in both Hinduism and
Buddhism .
Identify the deity.
Q # 6

In Egyptian mythology, which Goddess is
regarded as a magical healer who
rejuvenated dead to life ? She restored her
husband to life collecting all his body parts
once he was cut to pieces by her brother.
In fact , the cult of this Goddess spread from
Alexandria to Greece and Rome. The images
of her nursing her baby Horus is said to have
influenced the artists of Europe to paint a
certain Christian painting. Identify the
painting
Q # 7

In the Norse Mythology, who were
the female helping spirit of God
Odin, bringing the dead heroes to
Valhalha ?
Their gruesome nature is illustrated
most vividly in a poem in the Njal’s
Saga, where twelve of them sit at a
loom weaving the tragic fate of the
warriors using intestines for their
threads.
Q # 8

As the Mother Nature,
Durga/Parvati also takes the form
of “Shakambhari” in Hindu
mythology. The word meaning
“she who bears vegetables”.
Which Roman Goddess of
agriculture, grain- crops and
fertility is the equivalent of
“Shakambhari”
Q # 9

Name the Hindu Durga Mandir site at Pakistan , which is also under threat of
extensive mining. A rare and expensive multi-coloured granite is found
within the hills which houses the temple
Q # 10

Churrio Jabal located in Nangarparkar in the Tharparkar District in the Sindh
province of Pakistan

 Durga in the Quintessential “Bengali” popular culture

Tagore, a proponent of Bengal Renaissance, was a practising ‘Brahmo’.
Observing the religious superstitions prevalent among Hindus in the 18th
and 19th century Bengal, he requested his friend Prabhat Kumar
Mukhopadhay to write a story to denouncing religious evils.
Mukhopadhay wrote about a young girl, who was thought to be the
reincarnation of the divine Goddess and worshipped.
In 1960, another eminent Bengali, who was also a Brahmo recreated magic
converting this story into a tragic classic. Name the movie and name the
director who made this movie.
Q # 11

Most of the Durga Pujas that we see now are the so called “Barowari” or
community Pujas, the word being coined from “baro” in Bengali being 12
and “Yaari” meaning friends. The whole expression meaning 12 friends
getting together and organising a Puja.
However pre 1790, most of the Durga Pujas were organised in the houses of
rich Bengali Babus like Sabarna Roychowdhury, Nabakrishna Deb ,
Rajchandra Das, etc.
a) Name the place from which the “Barowari” puja evolved in 1790
b) Which was the first “Barowari” Durga Puja of Kolkata
c) The “Barowari” puja slowly evolved to emancipate all .How did the
nomenclature change ?
Q # 12

a) Guptipara in Hoogly.
b) Bhowanipore Sanatan Dharmotsahini Sabha in 1909 at Balaram Bose
Ghat Road, Bhowanipore.
c) Sarvajanin – amalgamation of “sarva” meaning “all” and janin meaning
“for”

The Durga Puja at Shovabazar Rajbari is
unique. Started by Nabakrishna Dev,
who was a sympathizer to Lord Clive
and hence earned the title of
‘Raibahadur’, this Puja has a unique
feature in terms of the Vahana of the
Devi.
The Devs of Shovabazar were
Vaishnavites in nature. Though they
worshipped the warrior goddess the
ruthlessness is tempered in this
Vaishnavite household by this unique
feature of the steed. Identify what makes
it unique
Q # 13

In the early hours of Saptami, Goddess Durga is invoked in a group of nine
plants, called Nabapatrika. Tied to the twigs of white Aparajita plant with a
yellow thread , the Nabapatrika is given a pre-dawn bath in the Ganga water.
Each plant of the Nabapatrika represents a God.
The banana plant represents Goddess Brahmani, Colocasia represents Kalika,
Turmeric represents Durga, Jayanti plant represents Goddess Kartiki, Bel
leaves represent Lord Shiva, Pomegranate leaves represent Raktadantika,
Ashoka leaves represent Shokarahita, Arum plant represent Chamunda and
finally Rice Paddy represent Lakshmi.
Which of these nine plants is the only one that is not immersed during the
visarjan and why ?
Q # 14

The Rice Paddy is not immersed as that
represents Lakshmi

Connect – what is the custom ?
Q # 15

In many household pujas specially the “bonedi” or the older traditional
ones, one pair of Roller bird (Neelkantha) are released on the day of the
immersion. These birds are believed to be flying to Kailash and giving Lord
Shiva the news that Durga is returning back home after spending four days
at her parent’s place.
Shiva who drank poison “Halahal” and held it in his throat is also known as
Neelkantha.

In many household
Every Mother is an incarnation of the Goddess
Namaskar !

Jqeq 22nd oct ishani

More Related Content

What's hot

Similar to Jqeq 22nd oct ishani

More from IshitaDas31

Recently uploaded

Jqeq 22nd oct ishani