Durga puja is a ten-day event, of which the last five days involve certain rituals and practices. The festival begins with Mahalaya, a day on which Hindus perform tarpaṇa by offering water and food to their dead ancestors. The day also marks the advent of Durga from her mythological marital home in Kailash. The next significant day of the festival is the sixth day (Sashthi), on which devotees welcomes the goddess and festive celebrations are inaugurated. On the seventh day (Saptami), eighth (Ashtami) and ninth (Navami) days, the goddess along with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, and Kartikeya are revered and these days mark the main days of worship with recitation of scriptures, puja, legends of Durga in Devi Mahatmya, social visits to elaborately decorated and illuminated pandals (temporary structures meant for hosting the puja), among others.

1. Tarpan: Mahalaya On the amavasya of Mahalaya, the Devi paksha starts. This is the day on which Goddess Durga begins her journey from Kailash. On this day, people give water in the name of their ancestors who are dead and gone. This act of remembrance is a sacred beginning of the Durga Puja festivities.

2. Kalaparambho: Mahashashti This is the day on which the goddess reached the mortal world and to signify this, her face is uncovered on this day. The Kalaparambho puja marks the beginning of the puja and then there are the rituals of bodhan and adhibas.

3. Bringing The Kola Bou: Mahasaptami Kola Bou is a form created with plantain that is considered to be Lord Ganesha's bride. She is given a bath before the break of dawn and placed next to Ganesha on Maha Saptami.

4. The Nine Plants Puja: Mahasaptami There is another ritual of worshipping nine types of plants on Maha Saptami that are symbolic of the nine forms of the goddess herself. It is performed on the Saptami Tithi.

5. Kumari Puja: Maha Ashtami During the day of Maha Ashtami, girls who have not reached their puberty yet are worshipped as the sacred forms of the Goddess herself. In some pandals, girls between 7 to 9 years are dressed up as the goddess and worshipped. This is done on the eighth day of Navratri.

6. Sandhi Puja: Mahanavami The Sandhi puja that is done at the juncture of Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami is the main ritual of Durga Puja. The last 24 minutes of Ashtami and first 24 minutes of Navami are regarded as the Sandhikhan. This is believed to be the exact time at which Devi Durga slayed the notorious pair of demons Chando and Munda.

7. Sindoor Khela: Mahadashmi On the last day of the puja, the devotees bid a tearful adieu to the Goddess. All the married women apply sindoor or vermilion in the parting of Maa Durga's hair and feed her sweets. This is called 'thakur boron'. After this, the women play with vermilion among themselves, this is called 'sindoor khela'.

8. Vijaya Dashmi: Mahadashmi After the idols of the Goddess and her family have been immersed in water so that they can begin their journey back to Kailash, Vijaya Dashmi begins. You are supposed to greet your equals, seek the blessings of your elders and bless those who are younger to you.

9. Visarjan: Finally, Goddess Durga has to go back to her heavenly abode again. The idol in immersed in water but not before the devotees have danced and frolicked around the Goddess and taken a promise to come back next year.