The Neelkanth (Indian Roller) bird is deeply intertwined with Durga Puja. Even today, several traditional aristocratic households in Bengal continue the custom of releasing this bird on Dashami (the final day of the Puja). In modern times, however, instead of using a live bird, people often make clay models of it to immerse in the river, or release sky lanterns decorated with its image.
But why was this bird released on Dashami in the first place? What history lies behind this ritual?
There are many references to the tradition of releasing the Neelkantha
bird during Durga Puja. In Bengal’s old aristocratic families, the practice
stemmed from a particular belief. What was that belief? When Uma (Goddess
Durga) returns to Mount Kailash on Dashami after spending a few days at
her parents’ home with her children, it is said that the Neelkantha bird
carries this message to Mahadev Shiva. Shiva’s other name is Neelkantha,
meaning “the blue-throated one.” After drinking the poison churned from the
cosmic ocean, his throat turned blue — hence the name. Since the Neelkantha
bird too has blue feathers, it was believed to be a companion or messenger of
Shiva. Based on that belief, the custom of releasing the Neelkantha bird
on Dashami took root in many traditional Bengali households.
However, there are other interpretations as well.
It is said that before killing Ravana, Bhagavan Sri Rama saw a Neelkantha bird — an auspicious sign.
According to another belief, after killing Ravana, who was a
devotee of Shiva, Rama and Lakshmana worshipped Mahadev to free themselves from
the sin of killing a Brahmin. At that time, Mahadev Shiva appeared before them in
the form of a Neelkantha bird. Some even say that it was this bird that
showed Rama, Lakshmana, and the Vanarasena the way to Lanka.
Thus, through many such stories and interpretations, the Neelkantha
bird became inseparably linked with Durga Puja. However, in modern times,
capturing Neelkantha birds has been banned by the Forest Department due
to the threat of their extinction. As a result, people now make clay models of
the bird and immerse them in the Ganga, or release lanterns decorated with
images of the Neelkantha to symbolically send the goddess’s farewell
message to Mount Kailash.