Rituals and procedures: Added Information and Citation← Previous revisionRevision as of 14:08, 19 October 2026 Line 14: Line 14: The Maithil Durga Puja starts with the ritual of Kalash Sthapna at the Durga Puja Bhavan Mandir or at the designated worship place [[Gosaunik Ghar]] of individual household. At the community temple, on all the days of the Durga Puja festival, the priests and villagers together recite Durga Saptashati. On each day of the festival, different types of offerings is prepared to offer Goddess Durga and her associates deities on each day of the Navratri. On some special days, ''Mahabhog'' (great offering) is offered. The Mahabhog includes ''tasmai'' or delicious [[kheer]] (rice pudding) to the Mother Goddess. It is believed that it brings special attention towards us by Goddess Durga. Similarly daily aarti of Mata Durga is performed at the temple every morning and evening throughout the festival. On every evening, women or girls of a village gathered at the premises of the temple in the village for lightings diyas (clay lamps). It is conducted before the evening aarti.{{Cite web |title=Durga Puja-2021: मधुबनी के बिहारी में 32 वर्षों से तांत्रिक विधि से हो रही मां दुर्गा की पूजा - Maa Durga is being worshiped by Tantric method for 32 years in Bihari of Madhubani |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/muzaffarpur-maa-durga-is-being-worshiped-by-tantric-method-for-32-years-in-bihari-of-madhubani-22103511.html?app=true&utm_source=referral&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=deeplink |access-date=2026-10-18 |website=Jagran |language=hi}} But the door of the community Durga Puja Bhavan Mandir in a village is not opened for public till the completion of the opening eye ritual called ''Netra Jyoti Anusthan''{{Cite web |title=नेत्र ज्योति अनुष्ठान के बाद माता के दर्शन को उमड़ेंगे श्रद्धालु - peoples active during navratra puja in madhubani |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/madhubani-peoples-active-during-navratra-puja-in-madhubani-19640569.html?app=true&utm_source=referral&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=deeplink |access-date=2026-10-12 |website=Jagran |language=hi}} of the Goddess Durga on the Saptami tithi. The eye opening ritual of the goddess is conducted after the completion of the [[Belnati Beltodi|Beltodi]] ritual.{{Cite web |title=बेल फल से हुई मां कालरात्रि की विशेष पूजा - aaaa |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/araria-aaaa-19643854.html?app=true&utm_source=referral&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=deeplink |access-date=2026-10-12 |website=Jagran |language=hi}} The Maithil Durga Puja starts with the ritual of Kalash Sthapna at the Durga Puja Bhavan Mandir or at the designated worship place [[Gosaunik Ghar]] of individual household. At the community temple, on all the days of the Durga Puja festival, the priests and villagers together recite Durga Saptashati. On each day of the festival, different types of offerings is prepared to offer Goddess Durga and her associates deities on each day of the Navratri. On some special days, ''Mahabhog'' (great offering) is offered. The Mahabhog includes ''tasmai'' or delicious [[kheer]] (rice pudding) to the Mother Goddess. It is believed that it brings special attention towards us by Goddess Durga. Similarly daily aarti of Mata Durga is performed at the temple every morning and evening throughout the festival. On every evening, women or girls of a village gathered at the premises of the temple in the village for lightings diyas (clay lamps). It is conducted before the evening aarti.{{Cite web |title=Durga Puja-2021: मधुबनी के बिहारी में 32 वर्षों से तांत्रिक विधि से हो रही मां दुर्गा की पूजा - Maa Durga is being worshiped by Tantric method for 32 years in Bihari of Madhubani |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/muzaffarpur-maa-durga-is-being-worshiped-by-tantric-method-for-32-years-in-bihari-of-madhubani-22103511.html?app=true&utm_source=referral&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=deeplink |access-date=2026-10-18 |website=Jagran |language=hi}} But the door of the community Durga Puja Bhavan Mandir in a village is not opened for public till the completion of the opening eye ritual called ''Netra Jyoti Anusthan''{{Cite web |title=नेत्र ज्योति अनुष्ठान के बाद माता के दर्शन को उमड़ेंगे श्रद्धालु - peoples active during navratra puja in madhubani |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/madhubani-peoples-active-during-navratra-puja-in-madhubani-19640569.html?app=true&utm_source=referral&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=deeplink |access-date=2026-10-12 |website=Jagran |language=hi}} of the Goddess Durga on the Saptami tithi. The eye opening ritual of the goddess is conducted after the completion of the [[Belnati Beltodi|Beltodi]] ritual.{{Cite web |title=बेल फल से हुई मां कालरात्रि की विशेष पूजा - aaaa |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/araria-aaaa-19643854.html?app=true&utm_source=referral&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=deeplink |access-date=2026-10-12 |website=Jagran |language=hi}} After the door opening of the temple, married women devotees in the village flock inside the temple to perform ''Khoicha'' ritual. During the ritual of Khoicha, the female devotees offer items such as sari, dhaan (paddy), paan (betel leaves), supari (areca nuts), haldi (turmeric) and sindur (vermillion), etc. The practice of the ritual Khoicha symbolises family happiness and prosperity. It is also performed on the ''Maha Ashtami'' day of the festival.{{Cite web |date=2026-10-10 |title=मधेपुरा के बड़ी दुर्गा मंदिर में मिथिला परंपरा के अनुसार होती है पूजा-अर्चना |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/madhepura/madhepura-durga-mandir-mithila-puja |access-date=2026-10-12 |website=Prabhat Khabar |language=hi}} After the door opening of the temple, married women devotees in the village flock inside the temple to perform ''Khoicha'' ritual. During the ritual of Khoicha, the female devotees offer items such as sari, dhaan (paddy), paan (betel leaves), supari (areca nuts), haldi (turmeric) and sindur (vermillion), etc. The practice of the ritual Khoicha symbolises family happiness and prosperity. It is also performed on the ''Maha Ashtami'' day of the festival.{{Cite web |date=2026-10-10 |title=मधेपुरा के बड़ी दुर्गा मंदिर में मिथिला परंपरा के अनुसार होती है पूजा-अर्चना |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/madhepura/madhepura-durga-mandir-mithila-puja |access-date=2026-10-12 |website=Prabhat Khabar |language=hi}} In the mid-night of the Saptami day, during the beginning of the Ashtami tithi, a special ritual of [[Nisha Puja]] is performed to the Kalratri form of the goddess. The twin Bel fruits brought at the temple after the Beltodi ritual is worshipped as the Kalratri form of the goddess during the Nisha Puja.{{Cite web |title=बेल फल से हुई मां कालरात्रि की विशेष पूजा - aaaa |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/araria-aaaa-19643854.html?app=true&utm_source=referral&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=deeplink |access-date=2026-10-19 |website=Jagran |language=hi}} [[File:Khoicha (Durga Puja).jpg|thumb|View of a ''Khoicha'' ritual performed by a [[Maithils|Maithil]] woman in Navi Mumbai.]] [[File:Khoicha (Durga Puja).jpg|thumb|View of a ''Khoicha'' ritual performed by a [[Maithils|Maithil]] woman in Navi Mumbai.]]