Durga Puja 2008

Durga Puja 2008 or the five day Durga Puja festival honouring the Goddess Durga, was celebrated from 2008-10-05 (Shashti) to 2008-10-09 (Dashami). Like previous years, Durga Puja was celebrated with the usual pomp and grandeur in West Bengal especially in Kolkata. The competition among the Puja Pandals and the level of creativity was at its best. Durga Puja 2008
==Time table for Puja 2008==
The main events of the puja ceremony were scheduled as followsTime table for Durga Puja 2008. The tithis are non-uniform since they represent the transitions of the moon into different zones, following the lunisolar Bengali calendar.
*Mahalaya ‘Tarpan’:- 29 September (Monday) (12 Ashvin 1415): 1:15pm - 30 oct 12.55pm
*Maha Panchami :- 4 October (Saturday) (17 Ashvin 1415): 3 oct 4:35pm-4 oct 6:28pm
*Maha Shashti - 5 October (Sunday) (18 Ashvin 1415): 4 oct 6:29pm-5 oct 8:32pm. Ritual Events: "kalparambha" before 9:27am; Durga Devi "bodhan" "Amantran" and "Adhibas' in the evening )
*Maha Saptami - 6 October (Monday) (19 Ashvin 1415): 5 oct 8:33pm-6 oct 10:35pm. Ritual Events: "naba patrikA" before 9:27am; pre-dawn bathing of "kalA bou"
*Maha Ashtami - 7 October (Tuesday) (20 Ashvin 1415): 6 oct 10:36pm-8 oct 00:29am. Ritual events: sandhI puja 00:05am-00:53am, sacrifice 00:29am
*Maha Nabami - 8 October (Wednesday) (21 Ashvin 1415): 00:30am-9 oct 2:04am
*Bijaya Dashami - 9 October (Thursday) (22 Ashvin 1415): From 00:30am-10 oct 2:04am. Ritual events: sindur-play in the morning, followed by bisarjan.
==Gallery of images from 2008 Pujas==
Image:P0067g pratima-66-pally all-hands-on-weapons.jpg|Modern image of Durga at 66 pally pandal, (near Kalighat metro). This stylized vertically symmetrical image shows her ten hands not with the traditional weapons, but all used for pinning down mahishasura, who appears to be coming out of the earth in front of her.
Image:P0088g chakraberia-sarbajanin-pratima.jpg|Durga image from Chakraberia Sarvajanin at Bhowanipore, Kolkata. The image shows a stylized durga in a benevolent pose rather than the traditional mahishashur impaling posture. Even the asur is quite peaceful, as if making obeisance to her. 
Image:P0121g college-square-puja.jpg|College Square Pandal, lit up at night. You can see a waterpolo goalpost in the foreground - the tank is a major swimming pool in less festive times. 
Image:P0062g badamtala-pratimA.jpg|The pratima at the Badamtala AShARh sangha. This pandal attempts to replicate a village square or baT-talA. In 2008, this club puja was sponsored by an exptritate Bengali group from the USA. 
Image:PA060139 cooperative.jpg|Durga image from Cooperative Park Puja, Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi
Image:D01944 Arati Rakshitbari giridih.jpg|Arati or light worship at the rakshitbari puja in Giridih, Jharkhand. The priest is performing a ritual motion with the pradeep or oil lamp. 
==Asian Paints Sharad Shamman (2008)==
This years Asian Paints Sharad Shamman was also declared on the night of Ashtami. Unlike previous years, seven winners were declared judged by people from various artistic fields. Discovery of the Year was given as a joint winner to separate Puja pandals.2008 Asian Paints Sharad Shamman
Winners:
*Best Puja : Telengabagan Sarbojanin
*Best Puja : Laketown Natunpally Pradip Sangha
*Best Puja : Tangra Gholpara Sarbojanin
*Discovery of the Year : Santoshpur Lakepally
*Discovery of the Year : Hatibagan Nabinpally
*Creative Excellence : Naktolla Udayan Sangha
*Best Artisan : Barisha Club (Shri Purnendu Sen)
Finalists
*Hatibagan Sarbojanin
*Bosepukur Talbagan
*Darpanarayan Tagore Street
*Laketown Adhibashibrindo
*Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha
The panel of judges included Agnimitra Paul (fashion designer), Kaushik Sen (actor), Suman Chattopadhyay (journalist), Sanatan Dinda (painter), Locket Chatterjee (actor).
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! colspan="3" style="background:red" |Asian Paints Sharad Shamman
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! colspan="3" style="background:orange"| Best Puja
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! colspan="3" style="background:orange"| Discovery of the Year
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! colspan="3" style="background:orange"| Creative Excellence
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! colspan="3" style="background:orange"| Best Artisan
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==References==
==External links==
*দুর্গাপূজা Pictures of Durga Puja 2008 in Kolkata & Barasat
*Calcuttaweb.com "Kolkata Durga Puja 2008"
*Overseas schedule for Durga Puja 2008
Category:Durga Puja
Category:2008 in India
Category:Hindu festivals
Category:Culture of West Bengal