Basanti Mandap - Jamkunda

Basanti Durga Puja is the celebration of Durga Puja during the spring time. It is a huge celebration in the eastern parts of India and especially in Odisha. Basanti Durga puja coincides with the Vasant or Chaitra Navratricelebrations. If you are confused that why Durga puja is celebrated in the spring time then let us tell you about the origin of the festival. Scriptures say that originally Durga puja was performed during spring time. However when Lord Ram invoked the Goddess untimely (Akal Bodhan) during autumn or Sharad, people started following the suit. Hence the autumnal or Sharadiya Durga puja became more popular than the original celebration of Basanti Durga puja. SYMBOLISM OF GODDESS DURGA'S TEN HANDS But Basanti Durga puja still remains a grand celebration in Odisha . The same rituals and traditions are followed during Basanti Durga puja like the Sharadiya Durga puja. Read on to find out about the origin of the Basanti Durga puja Origin Of Basanti Durga Puja According to the legends, once there was a king named Surath. It is believed that it was king Surath who performed the first ever Durga puja in Spring after being instructed by a sage named Medha. As per the story in Markanda Purana, once king Surath lost his kingdom and was forced to wander in the jungle for years. During his exile, king Surath met another exiled king named Samadhi Vaishya. Both the kings had lost their kingdoms and were in a fix as to what is to be done. It is when they met sage Medha who suggested them to invoke Goddess Durga to help them. The sage suggested both the kings to perform the Basanti Durga puja. Thus, both king Surath and Samadhi Vaishya performed the Basanti Durga puja and regained their lost kingdoms. Hence, Durga puja came to be celebrated during the spring time until later Lord Ram performed the untimely worship of the Goddess during autumn.