Durga Madhav Upasana and the Unique Tradition of 16 Days Durga Puja in Odisha
By Lokanath Mishra
As the auspicious days of Navratri unfold and Dusshera nears, the air across India fills with devotion, rituals, and cultural vibrance. Yet, in Odisha, the celebration of the Goddess takes on a rare and fascinating form—the worship of Maa Durga alongside Madhav (Jagannath), a practice known as Durga Madhav Upasana. This unique confluence of Shaktism and Vaishnavism makes Odia traditions stand apart from the rest of the country.
Sixteen Days of Devotion :
While most parts of India observe Navratri with nine days of fasting, austerity, and spiritual cleansing, Odisha immerses itself in a sixteen-day-long celebration. This extended worship reflects the Odia belief that Goddess Durga comes to earth during this period as daughter’s of earth and stays for sixteen days. And just like a beloved daughter’s homecoming, her arrival is marked not by abstinence, but by joyous feasting, devotion, and community celebration.
Food, Feasting, and Sacred Offerings:
Unlike the vegetarian austerity of Navratri elsewhere, Odisha embraces a sacred feasting tradition. Non-vegetarian dishes—especially fish , shrimp and crab are prepared and offered to the Goddess in the Niramish (without onion and garlic) style. This is not seen as indulgence but as a symbol of abundance, fertility, and prosperity. The non vegetarian home made cooked foods are being offered to Maa Durga and after that the same foods are being consumed by the family members as Prasad.
Even in the sacred precincts of the Jagannath Temple at Puri, Maa Bimala—regarded as a form of Mahishasuramardini—is offered fish preparations during Mahastami and Mahanavami. Here, ritual fish offerings are not taboo but a continuation of ancient Shakta traditions, blending seamlessly with the Vaishnavite practices of Lord Jagannath.
In Odisha, the 16-day Durga Puja, known as Shodasa Dinatmaka Puja or Sola Puja, begins on Mulashtami, which is seven days before Mahalaya. Mahalaya is the final day of the 16-day Pitru Paksha, a period for honoring ancestors, and it also marks the beginning of the Devipaksha and the official countdown to Durga Puja. The 16-day ritual in Odisha concludes with the main festivities of Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami. This 16-day celebration is a significant tradition performed in Shakti Peethas and Brahmin villages ( Shasan) in Odisha, involving the Devi’s adornment in 16 different forms and extensive worship, distinct from the main 3-day festival celebrated widely from Sptami to Navami . During the 16-day period, the Goddess is adorned in 16 distinct forms, such as Bhubaneswari, Matangi, and Sodasi. The Shodasa Dinatmaka Puja, also known as Shodasa Upachara, represents a complete and comprehensive form of devotion and worship, emphasizing the pervasive nature of the divine feminine power.
The main Durga Puja, celebrated from Saptami to Navami , is the more widely observed public festival across India. The 16-day ritual is a more specific, longer, and less common form of the festival, focused on deeper and more intricate worship within temple complexes.
During the Durga Puja festival in Odisha, a typical Bhog (sacred meal) offered to Maa Durga includes Khichuri (rice and lentil porridge), Dalma, Labra (mixed vegetable curry), Jhada machha besara or Machha Kalia ( many places sea fishes are being used) Chingudi Mahura ( using sea prawns) and fried items like Begun Bhaja (fried eggplant), along with Payesh (rice pudding) and various sweets. In Puri Shri Jagannath Temple Complex during Durga puja celebrations, offerings to Maa Bimala include fish curry( using Khainga fish) on Astami, and Navami in accordance with Tantric traditions.
Key Prasad dishes include:
Khichuri: A nourishing one-pot meal of rice and lentils, often prepared with a specific type of rice like Gobind Bhog rice and a distinct flavor from roasted moong dal.
Labra: A mixed vegetable curry that is a staple in Odia cuisine and a common offering during Durga Puja.
Begun Bhaja: Slices of eggplant fried until crispy.
Payesh: A sweet and creamy dessert made from milk, rice, and palm jaggery, similar to kheer.
Sweet dishes: All Odisha famous sweet dishes such as Rasgulla, Malpua, and Chhena poda, Khira, Rabedi, Rasabali are being prepared and offered to Maa Durga.
Fish Curry (Bimalaparusa): In the temple complex of Shri Jagannath Puri, a special fish curry (Bimalaparusa) is offered to Goddess Bimala on Astami, and Navami as part of a Tantric ritual.
Odiya famous Dalma, Fish Vesara and Prawn Mahura are being also prepared to offer Maa Durga during 16 days puja in Odisha.
The Significance of Bhog :
Spiritual Connection: Offering Bhog is a way for devotees to establish a spiritual connection and show devotion to the Goddess.
Purity and Blessings: The food is considered pure and sanctified, believed to purify the souls of those who consume it.
Community Effort: The preparation of Bhog is often a community activity, symbolizing unity and togetherness.
Durga and Madhab – The Divine Union
Everywhere in India, Shiva-Durga are worshipped together. But in Odisha’s spiritual heart, Durga-Madhab occupy the central stage. Within the sacred complex of Shri Jagannath Temple, Goddess Bimala (Durga) is worshipped alongside Jagannath (Madhab) for 16 days.
This divine pairing reflects an esoteric truth: while Lakshmi is Jagannath’s orthodox consort, Bimala is his Tantric consort, guardian of the temple, and eternal Shakti. In fact, Jagannath’s Mahaprasad becomes sanctified only after it is offered to Maa Bimala. This eternal bond makes Jagannath himself the Bhairava (protector) of Goddess Bimala, and she, his Bhairavi.
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Gupta Gundicha – The Secret Journey
Among the temple’s most mystical traditions is the Gupta Gundicha Yatra—a secret journey where Jagannath does not travel with Balabhadra and Subhadra, but with Maa Bimala. Together they are revered as Durga-Madhab.
• For the first eight days, the divine pair are carried to the Bimala temple inside the complex.
• For the next eight days, they are taken to the Narayani temple in a palanquin, in a ritual called Shakta Gundicha.
During these sixteen days, Maa Bimala is adorned in the forms of various goddesses—Bhuvaneswari, Ugratara, Rajarajeswari, Bagala, Jayadurga, and others—signifying the all-encompassing power of the Divine Mother.
The Deeper Spiritual Symbolism
Durga Madhab Upasana symbolizes the oneness of Brahman and Shakti, of Narayana and Narayani. The Odia scriptures affirm this nonduality:
“Yah Krishna saiva Durga syat, yaa Durga Krishna eva sah;
Anayorantaradarshi samsaranno vimuchyate”
—He who is Krishna is also Durga; She who is Durga is Krishna. One who perceives division cannot attain liberation.
This profound vision dissolves sectarian boundaries between Shaktism and Vaishnavism, reminding devotees that the Supreme Divine is one, manifesting as both the nurturing Mother and the sustaining Lord.
Durga Madhab in Everyday Life
For centuries, the image of Durga-Madhab adorned the entrances of Odia homes, painted as a mark of divine protection. Even today, devotees invoke Durga-Madhab during housewarming rituals, grihapravesh, and other auspicious ceremonies.
On Vijaya Dashami, beholding the full darshan of Durga and Madhab together is considered supremely auspicious, granting devotees victory, prosperity, and fulfillment of desires.
Conclusion
The worship of Durga Madhab is a spiritual jewel of Odisha—an eternal reminder that the Divine is not fragmented but whole. It is a celebration of union, abundance, and joy, where devotion takes the form of both ritual worship and community feasting.
As Maa Durga descends to her maternal home, welcomed with music, food, and deep reverence, the people of Odisha reaffirm their timeless bond with the Mother and the Lord. In this unique tradition, Durga as Shakti and Jagannath as Madhab embody the eternal dance of power and grace, reminding us that the Divine is both Father and Mother, both protector and nurturer, both one and many.
✨ Durga Madhab Upasana is not just a ritual—it is the very soul of Odisha’s spiritual culture.
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