Puja at Belur Math enters 125th year
The Statesman | 20 September 2025Swami Vivekananda started the Durga Puja in 1901. As Ramakrishna Mission was run by the monks, the sankalpa was held in the name of Ma Sarada. She came to see the puja at the Belur Math.
Breaking the convention in Kolkata where only the invited guests were allowed to attend the puja held in the house of rich people, Swamiji had invited all the residents of Belur village. The women, men and children came to attend the puja and enjoyed the prasad for four days.
Over the years, the gathering during the Durga Puja went up by leaps and bounds, forcing the RKM authorities to shift the venue. Earlier, it was held in the Sri Ramakrishna temple. Now, it is held in the open field situated beside the main temple. More than 5 lakh people visit Belur to see the puja.
Kumari Puja will be held on 30 September at 9 a.m. on the day of Maha Astami. A girl is worshipped as Ma Durga. Lakhs of people visit the math to see the puja. Swami Vivekananda had performed Kumari Puja and offered puja to a Muslim girl in Kashmir in 1898.
For two years during Covid, the devotees were not allowed inside the Belur math premises. Live streaming of the puja will be shown. The idol will be immersed on 2 October on the day of Vijaya Dashami.
Durga Puja is now held in different centres of RKM. In Malda, Lucknow, Asansol it is held every year with great enthusiasm. Devotees from across the world come to Belur Math to see the Durga Puja which is observed following all the rituals.
