Mahalaya, marks
the beginning of Devi-Paksha and the end of the Pitri-Paksha (the Shradh).
It is
an auspicious day for Eastern Indians and Bengalis, who celebrate it with much
enthusiasm.
Mahalaya is observed seven days before the Durga Puja.
Mahalaya marks the beginning of Navratri and Durga Puja. ...
It is
believed that Goddess Durga starts her journey to earth with her family on the
day of Mahalaya.
Mahalaya is the last day of the Pitra Paksha or
the period when Hindus offer homage to their deceased ancestors.
Come autumn and everybody seems to get into the
festive mode, which starts pretty much from today.
While
there is one too much folklore associated with the occasion, the most famous is
Mahalaya being an invitation of sorts to the mother goddess to begin her
journey from Kailash to her paternal home (earth), along with her children.
This invitation is extended through the chanting of mantras and singing
devotional songs like Jago Tumi Jago and Bajlo Tomar Alor Benu.
This day also holds a special meaning for Hindus,
who perform the ritual of Tarpan (offering).
Men clad in dhotis go to
the banks of the river Ganga and offer prayers to their deceased forefathers
and perform pind-daan.
In the 1930s, Mahalaya was first broadcast
over the radio.
Later, it was recorded and played during the day in the voice
of Birendra Krishna Bhadra.
The legendary narrator recites the holy verses and
tells the story of the descent of Durga to earth in his unique style.
Since morning, Bengalis and eastern Indian all
over the world have been tweeting about it.
End
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