In pics Jagadhatri puja: Its Significance, date and time

Updated: Tuesday, November 5, 2019, 15:40 [IST]

Chandannagar, Nov 05: Jagadhatri is one of the incarnations of Goddess Durga. The Jagadhatri puja is widely celebrated in many places across West Bengal. Popularly in Hoogly district of the state.

Devotees worship and celebrate reincarnation of goddess Durga in the name of Jagadhatri and create a splendid ambience with high festive spirits. The festival is mainly celebrated at Chandannagar, Krishnanagar, Nadia and Kolkata after Durga Puja and Kali Puja in the month of Kartik.

Jagadhatri meaning the saviour of the universe is the Goddess who comes to save the people from the demonic reign of the asuras:

According to mythology, Goddess Jagadhatri is another form of Devi Durga. In the Shukla Navami of the Bengali Month of Ashwin, the Devi appears as the ten-handed Goddess Durga, on the same day, on the month of Karthik, she presents herself in the form of the four-handed Devi Jagadhatri, the caring mother of the world.

Origin of Jagadharti Puja

Jagadharti Puja was first started by Maharaja Krishnachandra of Krishnanagar, Nadia in West Bengal. Jagadhatri Puja is very popular in Krishnanagar, Rishra, Chandannagar, Bhadreswar, Hooghly, Boinchi. In Krishnagar, Nadia Burima Jagadhatri Puja is one of the oldest Jagatdhatri Puja.

Maharaja Krishnachandra was inspired by this puja. Pimarily this puja was done by an old woman called ‘Burima' in Bengali.

About the idol of Goddess Jagadhatri:

The idol of Goddess Jagadhatri, it depicts her lion trouncing an elephant with his claws. This signifies the ego of the Gods being crushed and shattered by the Goddess.

History behind celebration of Jagadhatri puja:

It is believed, the Maharaja Krishna Chandra saw in his dream, a divinely beautiful lady, standing before him and saying, "Maharaja, worship me in the way I now shall incarnate before you. Worship me on ‘Shukla Navami' that shall come next." Then the lady transformed into a deity, sitting over a lion with different weapons in her hands- Sankha (conch), Chakra (ring) and Dhanurwan (Bow and arrow) lay in her hands.

Although the Jagatdhatri Puja has its origin in Krishnanagar, but today this festival is more popular in Chandannagar (the French ruled province of Bengal) in Hooghly is the most known for the grand heritage that it beholds in the worship of goddess Jagatdhatri.

Indra Narayan Choudhury, a richest businessmen in Bengal who was also a great friend of Maharaja Krishna Chandra initiated Jagatdhatri Puja in Chandannagar probably in 1755. Since, then the festival is celebrated with fervour every year.