Durga Puja in Bengal is a festival that engages every sense — the sound of dhak drums, the fragrance of shiuli flowers, the glow of pandals, and the taste of bhog. But among all its rituals, few capture the raw energy of devotion like Dhunuchi Naach.
What is Dhunuchi Naach?
At its heart, Dhunuchi Naach is a devotional dance performed during the evening aarti of Durga Puja. Devotees dance holding an earthen pot called dhunochi, filled with burning coconut husk, camphor, and incense. As the husks glow and thick white smoke rises, the dancer moves in rhythm with the pounding beats of the dhak.
Some dancers balance the dhunochi in their hands, others on their foreheads, and the most daring even grip it between their teeth — filling the pandal with a spectacle of swirling smoke, rhythm, and faith.
When is Dhunuchi Naach Performed?
The dance is usually performed from Saptami to Navami, during the evening aarti when the Puja reaches its peak. As the priest waves the sacred lamp before Maa Durga, devotees step forward with dhunochis, dancing in offering to the goddess. The atmosphere is electric — drums beating, conch shells blowing, smoke filling the air, and dozens of dancers moving in sync, turning the pandal into a sacred stage.
The Importance of Dhunuchi Naach
Dhunuchi Naach is not merely performance — it is ritual. The smoke from the dhunochi is believed to purify the air, cleanse the pandal, and create an auspicious atmosphere for worship. Symbolically, it represents the offering of self — the dancer’s body becomes the medium of devotion, their breath merging with the smoke rising to the goddess.
For Bengalis, Dhunuchi Naach is also a celebration of energy (turojo or life force). It transforms the Puja from solemn worship into joyful participation, where devotion is expressed not only in prayer but in movement, rhythm, and fire.
The Competitive Spirit
In many neighborhoods of Kolkata and towns across Bengal, Dhunuchi Naach has also taken on a festive competitive spirit. Local clubs and Puja committees often organize contests to see who can dance the longest, balance the dhunochi most skillfully, or create the most captivating moves.
Crowds cheer as dancers — young and old — take to the floor, sometimes performing with multiple dhunochis at once. The air becomes thick with smoke, the drumbeats quicken, and for a few minutes, the boundary between devotee and performer blurs. It is both art and offering, competition and prayer.
A Living Tradition
What makes Dhunuchi Naach unforgettable is the way it binds community. Everyone participates — the dancers, the drummers, the spectators, the priests. Even those watching from the sidelines feel drawn into the rhythm, swaying to the beats of the dhak.
In many ways, Dhunuchi Naach embodies what Durga Puja itself stands for — devotion expressed through joy, togetherness, and celebration. It is not a ritual of silence but one of movement and energy, reminding devotees that worship can be as much about dancing as it is about praying.
The Smoke and the Spirit
If you find yourself in Bengal during Durga Puja, stay back in a pandal during the evening aarti. Watch as the first dhunochis are lit, the air thickens with incense smoke, and the first dancer steps forward. Within moments, others will join, the dhak will roar louder, and the pandal will transform into a whirl of smoke and rhythm.
In that moment, you will understand why Bengalis say that no Durga Puja night is complete without Dhunuchi Naach — the fiery dance that purifies the air, uplifts the spirit, and brings the community together under the goddess’s gaze.
