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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 March 2011
Durgā is a mighty Paurāṇic goddess; and of all the forms of Śiva's wife or Śakti she is the most popular and greatly honoured in the province of Bengal. It is in the province of Bengal only that her Pūjā (worship) is celebrated with great pomp and idol-exhibition. By ‘Pūjā’ the Anglo-Indian means now the Durgā-Pūjā festival of Bengal, during which all Government offices remain closed for one month. A new clay image of the goddess is made for the occasion, and it is enthroned on the sixth day of the light fortnight of the month Āśvina. She is worshipped during the three days next following, and is then immersed in water on the Daśamī day. These are all very widely known facts, but I mention them with a distinct purpose in view, as will be shown later on.
page 355 note 1 The name Durgā does not seem to be mentioned either in the Rāmāyaṇa or in Manu.
page 356 note 1 See Fausböll, “Indian Mythology,” p. 159.
Page 357 note 1 In the Kādambarī she is mentioned as the wife of Śiva, see Miss Ridding's translation, pp. 49–50.
page 358 note 1 See Bengal Census Report, 1901, vol. i, pp. 181–2.
