The Durga Puja performed at the village of Goalsara in Goghat, Arambag, Hooghly, Bengal is noted for its unique puja especially the chanting of 100000 mantras.
Goghat Durga Puja History
At that time, the Nawabs reigned all over Bengal. This Durga
Puja at Goghat performed by the Chowdhury family began in 1734, started by the Zamindar
Jagannath Chowdhury. The tradition continues even today, nearly 300 years
later. Goalsara was a port city surrounded by dense forests and wetlands. And
where there are forests, there is a presence of dacoits (bandits/robbers).
The King of Bardhaman was determined to suppress the
dacoits. Seeing the adverse situation, the dacoits handed over their revered
Goddess Joy Durga to Zamindar Jagannath Chowdhury and left the area. The
Zamindar carefully welcomed the Goddess and installed her in his kachari bari
(estate office/court house). With the blessings of Maa Durga, the Chowdhurys' zamindari
(landlordship) flourished, as did their trade and commerce.
The old kachari bari where the Goddess was first worshipped
still exists.
Goghat Durga Puja Rituals
The main attraction of this puja is its rituals. In this
house, instead of chanting the Chandi Path, the Goddess is worshipped through
the chanting of mantras (incantations).
The chanting begins from Pratipada (the first day) and
concludes on Dashami (the tenth day). One family priest chants the mantra one
lakh (100,000) times in the name of Maa Durga. And another Brahmin chants the
mantra one lakh times in the name of Madhusudan (another name for Narayana or
Vishnu).