Bengali women performing rituals and customs of Durga Puja.

Durga Pooja has always been an integral part of the Hindu culture especially in West Bengal, where there have been grand ceremonies on this occasion right from the 16th century. The trend of grand celebrations in the country began from the 'Sharadiya Durgotsab' festivals organized by Raja Kangshanarayan of Taherpur and Bhabananda Mazumdar of Nadiya in 1606. Since then Durga Puja celebrations have been observed as a day for merriment with friends, relatives, neighbors and acquaintances throughout the north and eastern part of India. However, the Puja celebration over the years have transformed in presentation often. Earlier, it was a family affair for rich and affluent people of a community and now it has become more of a community affair where people contribute towards the celebrations. In present times, the evolution of many clubs, associations and societies has made the Puja cosmopolitan in character.

Source: http://festivals.iloveindia.com

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