GAURIPUR, Oct 17 - The 415-year-old Royal Durga puja of the Gauripur royal family began on the auspicious day of �Pratipada� with fervour and gaiety. The �astadhatu� idol of Goddess Durga was brought from the main Mahamaya temple situated in the Rajbari in a chariot and was placed in the temple located in the eastern side of the historic Mahamaya playground and the puja was started after performing all the traditional rituals on October 3 last.
According to legends, Kabi Sekhar, the founder of the royal family while bathing in a river near Panbari, saw two suns in the sky and then a woman came out and began to walk towards the river. Kabi Sekhar followed the woman and saw her riding a tiger and going inside a cave. Kabi Sekhar blocked her way and lay down on the path. The woman supposed to be the Goddess Durga kicked him seven times and on the eighth time that she kicked him, she said that she was goddess Durga and would remain in his Royal Palace. Since that time onwards, the Royal Family of Gauripur has been performing the puja with strict adherence to the royal traditions and rituals.
According to traditions, the idol of Goddess Durga is made from Shata (Kuhila) plant and on the Dasami tithi, the Kuhila idol of Goddess Durga is immersed at the meeting place of the Gadadhar river, and the Brahmaputra and thereafter the �Ranachandi� and the �Kaman� puja is performed in front of the royal palace situated at Matiabag area of Gauripur town.
