Is Durga Puja Performed at Home?

Why is Durga Puja not performed at home? Why is Durga Puja a community affair? How to perform Durga Puja at Home? These are some of questions for which people are trying to find answers.

Firstly, Durga Puja is largely a community festival. It is today more of a social event even though the festival has religious roots. The entire community in an area pays homage to Goddess Durga on the day through the community pujas.

This does not mean that Durga Puja is not held at home. Zamindari households perform Durga Puja at home. Even today there are several Zamindari households which maintain the tradition of performing Durga Puja.

Elaborate rituals are the main reason for not performing Durga Puja at home. A Priest is a must for performing the elaborate rituals. It is very hard to get a priest during Durga Puja period. Many Durga Puja committees are finding it difficult to get a qualified priest during the puja period.

Durga Puja idols are huge and they are costly too. Miniature Durga idols are rarely worshiped.

Numerous puja items are needed on each day of the puja and the price of the puja items will not fit into the budget of an average Indian house. Some puja items are also very rare. Then there are numerous vessels and other utensils needed for the puja.

In short, a Durga Puja Pandal is a temporary temple. It is not possible for a normal Indian house to become a temporary temple. When worshipping Durga there are no shortcuts, she has to be worshipped truly and this can happen only in a temple or at Durga Puja pandals.

When thinking on religious grounds, it is better not to worship Durga at home. Worshipping Durga at home means you are giving her a space in your home. The power of Durga as per Hindu scriptures is enormous and at time uncontrollable. She is Mother Nature – gentle breeze and thunderstorms are her characteristics. You may enjoy the gentle breeze but when she turns into thunderstorm it is unimaginable.

Places known to have the presence of Shakthi should conduct specific rituals as prescribed in the Shastras. This can only be done by a priest. This is one reason why Shakthi is mainly worshipped in temples.