Durga Puja, an ancient festival, is mentioned in the 11th or 12th century Jain text Yasatilaka by Somadeva, though its exact origins remain unknown.
The book portrays a festival honouring a warrior goddess, who is celebrated by the monarch and his army and has characteristics similar to Durga Puja.
The landlords, or zamindars, of Dinajpur and Malda in Bengal, according to one famous folk narrative, established Durga Puja.
According to a legend, Raja Kangshanarayan of Taherpur or Bhabananda Mazumdar of Nadiya organized the first Sharadiya or Autumn Durga Puja in 1606.
Durga Puja may have evolved from various sources, evolving from mountain or war goddess to universal goddess, protecting devotees from evil forces.
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