Durga Puja is a holiday and festival in Hindu culture that celebrates the Mother Goddess, who was a victorious warrior Goddess who beat the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. The dates of the festival are celebrated based on the lunar calendar, and it is primarily celebrated in West Bengal, specifically in Kolkata. It is the largest festival there, and it is also celebrated in other Bengali communities, like Mumbai and Delhi.
The festival begins with statues of the Goddess Durga appearing in homes, accompanies by podiums that are constructed all around the city. When the festival draws to the end, the statues are paraded around the city, with music and dancing, before they are immersed in water. The week before the festival, the goddess is invited to earth, and prayer occurs nightly for the time of the festival.
Food is a large part of the celebration as well, and the streets are lined with food stalls and people each evening. People come out to see the lights, enjoy the food, for dancing, and to see the various statues of Goddess Durga.
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