From Shravan to Poush, it is the time of the gods' night, a period when the deities are said to sleep. Therefore, during this time, to perform a puja, the gods must be awakened, a process known as 'Bodhon.' The etymological meaning of the word 'Bodhon' is to awaken. Goddess Durga has a total of seven types of Kolarambha (ritual beginnings). This means that the goddess is awakened on seven different dates. The first date of the Bodhon is Ashwin Krishna Paksha Navami (ninth day during the waning or dark phase of moon in Ashwin month – this is 12 days before the popular Durga puja sashti beginning rituals.
In the month of Ashwin, the day after the eighth day of the
dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha), or the day after Jit Ashtami, the Bodhon of
the goddess takes place. This is known as Krishna Navamiadi Kolarambha.
The puja continues from Krishna Paksha’s Navami to Shukla
Paksha’s Navami, and then the immersion takes place on the tenth day. According
to folk tradition, Bodhon comes in the "Jitar Dala" (the worship
basket of Jimutbahan). It is as if Jit Ashtami brings the Durga Puja.
Please note the popular regular Durga Puja begins on Ashwin Shukla Paksha Sashti (sixth day during the waxing or light phase of moon in Ashwin month).Various Durga Pujas In Bengal That Begins On Ashwin Krishna Paksha Navami
The Malla kings, with a tradition over a thousand years old,
begin their Durga Puja on this very date. The family deity of Malla kings’ is
worshipped in Mrinmoyee’s puja. On Krishna Navami, the formal beginning of the
puja is announced with cannon fire from Murchha Hill. The 'Boro Thakurun' (a
sacred idol) is brought to the Mrinmoyee temple with great fanfare. In essence,
Boro Thakurun is the idol of Mahakali. At Madhab Sayer’s Ghat, the royal
priests read from the ancient, handwritten 'Bolinarayani Puthi' of the royal
family and perform special rituals. After the bathing rituals, the royal
priests carry the idol in a procession to the Mrinmoyee temple. As the idol is
brought into the temple, cannons fire three times in salute. A final puja is
performed in the temple courtyard, and then the Boro Thakurun is entered into
the main temple.
At the Shobhabazar Rajbari, following tradition, a Chandi Mandap is set up on Krishna Navami. The Krishna Navamiadi Kolarambha and Bodhon puja begins with the installation of the Bodhon pot. From today, the royal family's puja also begins. In Tanra’s Shil Lane, at Dasbari in the Mollarpur of Birbhum, and in the Raybari of Babupara in Southgram, Durga Puja’s Bodhon is performed on Krishna Navami.