Look out for what the Goddess Durga is riding in this year — it explains a lot about the world.
There is something unique about Durga Puja — among countless other unique things — that the ‘vahaan’ or the bearer of the goddess really matters and has a lot of significance.
The goddess has four distinct vahaans — elephant, horse, palanquin, and boat. The elephant suggest the start of period of great prosperity, the horse signifies speed and agility but also conflict, war and destruction, the palanquin represents outbreak of disease, and the boat brings great abundance but also floods.
This year, the goddess is coming and going on a horse. The horse symbolises war, conflict, destruction, and also speed of change. Considering that our world seems to be hurtling from war (Ukraine) to war (Israel-Hamas), is it any wonder that the goddess is coming on a horse this year?
