Watch: CM Mamata Banerjee plays 'dhak' at a Durga puja pandal in Kolkata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee played the dhak, a traditional percussion instrument at the inauguration of the community Durga Puja in Kolkata on Wednesday.

CM Banerjee, accompanied by her cabinet colleagues Firhad Hakim and Aroop Biswas, arrived at the Suruchi Sangha Puja pandal in New Alipore. A video tweeted by the ruling Trinamool Congress showed her playing the dhak before an idol of Ma Durga.


"Is there a better way to kick off the festivities? No! Our Hon'ble Chairperson @MamataOfficial puts a smile on all our faces by playing 'dhaank', making the festive season even more grand! Her energy, her down-to-earth nature and her compassion leaves us in awe, yet again," the caption said.

The folk drum dhak, slung around a shoulder and played with two thin sticks, gives the festive aura to Durga Puja celebrations in West Bengal.

Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, honours the Hindu goddess Durga and commemorates her victory over Mahishasur. To destroy Mahishasura, Goddess Druga, according to belief,appeared from the fusion of all the gods' energies in heaven. She had ten arms, and on each of them, she carried the most lethal weapon belonging to each God. All of Goddess Durga's weapons are sanctified during this time.

For the Bengali community, Durga Puja is the biggest festival. This year Maha Shashti falls on October 1 and Vijaya Dashami on October 5.

The West Bengal government this year has increased the grant for the Durga Puja organising committees in the state from Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000. CM Banerjee also declared a holiday period from September 30 to October 10 for Durga puja.

UNESCO on December 15 inscribed "Durga Puja in Kolkata" on the "Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" the first for an Indian festival.

In other parts of the country, during the nine-day Navratri festival, devotees worship Maa Durga's nine incarnations in order to obtain her blessings. There is a goddess manifestation linked with each day of Navratri.

During these nine days, people maintain ritualistic fasts, recite shlokas dedicated to each goddess, wear new clothing, offer bhog, and clean their homes.