From Mahalaya to Bijoya Dashami: what happens on each day, in photos.
Devotees raise flowers for pushpanjali on Maha Ashtami at a Kolkata pandal. Photo: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.
At dawn, families offer tarpan to their ancestors at the river and the radio plays Mahishasuramardini. The fortnight of the goddess begins.
Tarpan on Mahalaya: offering water, til and kusha grass to the ancestors at the Ganga. Photo: Goutam1962, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
In the evening the goddess is awakened in the bodhon rite, and the pandals open.
Bodhon, the awakening of the goddess, on the evening of Shashthi. Photo: Goutam1962, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
At dawn the Kola Bou, nine plants tied together as the goddess, is bathed and dressed in a sari. Then the goddess is invoked into the image.
Kola Bou, the banana plant bride, is carried to the pond for her bath on Saptami morning. Photo: Goutam1962, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The pandals fill for pushpanjali, flowers offered with mantras. Many pujas hold Kumari Puja, and Sandhi Puja marks the junction with Navami.
Devotees raise flowers for pushpanjali on Maha Ashtami at a Kolkata pandal. Photo: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.
In the 48 minutes where Ashtami ends and Navami begins, the goddess is worshipped as Chamunda with 108 lotuses and 108 lamps.
Tiers of lamps are lit for Sandhi Puja at a Kolkata community puja. Photo: Goutam1962, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The last full day of worship: the homa fire offering, khichuri bhog, and dhunuchi dances to the dhak late into the night.
Dhunuchi dance: clay burners of smoking coconut husk and incense, held aloft to the dhak. Photo: Bhuppigraphy, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Women offer sindoor to the goddess and smear it on each other's faces: sindoor khela, the vermilion farewell.
Women smear sindoor on each other on Bijoya Dashami. Photo: Diganta Talukdar, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The goddess is carried to the river and immersed. Then everyone embraces, touches elders' feet and says Shubho Bijoya.
Sovabazar Rajbari's Durga is readied on boats at Baghbazar Ghat for immersion in the Hooghly. Photo: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Durga Puja rituals day by day: Mahalaya, Shashthi bodhon, Saptami Kola Bou, Ashtami anjali and Sandhi Puja, Navami homa, Dashami sindoor khela, 2026 dates.
Durga Puja rituals day by day → Next story: Maha Ashtami: the heart of Durga Puja All photo storiesMusic: Rhythm of Dhak a huge membranophone instrument from Bengal and Assam, used in Hindu religious festivals, especially Durga Puja, Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.