Odisha is a state of religious people; predominantly at this locus enormous volume of Hindu people about 80% of total population is living. As we know in Hindu culture they celebrate so many festivals throughout the year, the cult of Shakti (source of energy) worshiped in a festival that is popularly known as Durga Puja or Dussahara. Here in this festival devotees worship Maa Durga in Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and in Vijayadashami. This is a festival of joy and happiness. People of India in almost all states love to celebrate this Durga Puja festival. Waste Bengal, Kolkata is known as the place where top class Durga Puja celebrated in all over the world.
Maa Durga worshiped in Odisha in the Tantric and non-Tantric forms, among the whole Odia community greatly admired of Durga Puja Festival with jubilation. The spirit of holiness and sanctity during this festival is outstanding in Odisha. In most of the districts, cities and villages of Odisha devotees celebrate Durga Puja. Legend behind the Durga Puja festival is ‘victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura’ so people celebrated this festival every year to remember that always divines is wins from evilness. In the month of Ashwin from sixth to tenth day of bright lunar fortnight or the shukla paksha in Hindi, this period is celebrated as great Durga Puja and in the final tenth day on the destroyer of evil and the protector of her devotees Maa Durga is worshiped.
Festivals are the perfect occasion to know about the any destination, during festivals people are very happy and they decorate their houses, villages and Puja Mandap with light, flower and with many other decorative items. Idols of Maa Durga are placed in big Mandaps (Stages) and worshiped with mantras. The atmosphere and environment during Puja becomes spiritual and tourist love to participate in it. Also the decoration, local market, food stalls, handicrafts and handloom stalls are other attractions of Durga Puja in Odisha. Thousands of tourists from different states of Odisha also from different foreign countries prefer to visit Odisha during Durga Puja Festivals.
