Devi Durga is worshipped in the month of Ashwin, which is an uncustomary time for commencement of the worship. Since this period of worship differs from the conventional period, which is during the spring or 'Basanta', hence Ahwin's Durga Puja is called 'Akalbodhan'.



As per Ramayana, Lord Rama sought blessings from Devi Durga when he was engaged in the fierce combat with Ravana. He evoked the goddess during autumn in his dire necessity, worshiping Durga untimely or in Akal. Hence Durga Puja is called Akalbodhon.

As a part of the custom, Devi Durga is worshipped with 100 neel kamals or blue lotuses. During his Puja, Rama could arrange for only 99 lotuses and he offered one of his eyes as a substitute of the 100th lotus. Devi Durga was pleased with his devotion and blessed him. The battle between Rama and Ravana started on Shaptami and Ravana was killed at the 'Shandhikshan' or juncture of Ashtami and Navami. Ravana was cremated on Dashami. Therefore the four days of the Durga Puja celebrated ends as the triumph of the good over evil. As per the age old Bengali belief, Sati was the daughter of Daksha Prajaapati a descendant of Bhrama. Sati had married Shiva against the wishes of her father. Daksha had organized for a sacrifice where he invited attendees from entire universe, except his son in law Shiva. Sati attended this sacrifice against the wishes of her husband Shiva and was later insulted by her father. She could not bear this insult and hence immolated herself.

Enraged at this, Shiva destroyed Daksha's sacrifice and cut off his head. When the other gods pleaded to restore Daksha's life, Shiva replaced his head with that of a goat. Wild with grief and fury, Shiva picked up the remains of Sati's body, and danced 'Tandav' or the dance of destruction across the Universe. Vishnu along with other gods tried to stop Shiva and the disk of Vishnu cut through the corpse of Sati and its various parts fell at several spots across the Indian subcontinent, the sites of what are known as Shakti Peethas today.

Shiva finally cooled down when the last piece of corpse fell from his shoulder. Narayana revived Sati as Uma with a new life. Henceforth, after peace was restored, Uma, with her family including, Ganesh, Kartick, Lakhmi and Saraswati, comes to visit her parent's home every year during autumn when Durga Puja is celebrated. As per the narrative from the Devi Mahatmya story of the Markandeya Purana text, Durga was created as a warrior goddess to culminate the 'asura', (a demon) named Mahishasur. He was spreading a reign of terror on 'tin lok'- earth, heaven and the nether worlds, and could not be defeated by any man or god.

The gods approached Brahma who had given Mahishasur the boon to be the invincible conqueror of the universe. Brahma failed to do anything and hence the gods under the leadership of Brahma went to Baikuntha-the place where Vishnu lay on Anantya Naag. They could meet both Vishnu and Shiva there and Brahma reported the reign of terror Mahishasur.

Hearing this both Vishnu, Shiva and all the gods got very angry and beams of fierce light emerged from their body. This blinding sea of light met at the Ashram of the priest Katyan and thus the goddess Durga with the name Katyani emerged from this sea of light to kill Mahishasura.

Initially encountering Durga, Mahishasura underestimated her as a woman. However, he was alarmed after Devi Durga gave a roar of laughter which caused earthquake on the earth. Mahishasur announced a terrible battle against her, changing forms many times. First he was a buffalo demon, and she defeated him with her sword. Then he changed forms and became an elephant that tied up the goddesses' tiger and began to pull it towards him. The goddess cut off his trunk with her 'Khorgo'. The demon Mahishasur continued, taking the form of a lion, and then the form of a man, but both of them were slain by the goddess Durga. Mahishasur began attacking once more, with the form of a buffalo again. The goddess sipped the divine wine from a cup and when Mahashaur had half emerged into his buffalo form, he got paralyzed by the extreme light emitting from the goddess's body. The goddess then resounded with laughter before cutting Mahishasur's head with her Khorgo. Hence Devi Durga is also known as Mahishasurmardhini - the slayer of Mahishasur and celebration of Durga Puja is marked as the celebration of good over evil.