Durga Puja is just around the corner, and the whole country bathes in the excitement of this holy festival. Kolkata is the capital of these celebrations, and it is already blooming with the rituals. Mahalaya marks the beginning of Durga Puja festivities for the Bengali community. This year, the festival was celebrated on October 2. This also marked the end of Pitru Paksha, the 16-day lunar period in which we pay respects and homage to our ancestors, whom we lovingly call Pitr or forefathers.
But what does the word 'Mahalaya' mean? And what ritual practises to incorporate to hail Durga Ma in the best way possible? Let's unravel this together.
Mahalaya 2024: Date and Time
Mahalaya holds special significance as it commemorates the mythical moment when Goddess Durga was invoked to descend to Earth and vanquish the demon king Mahishasura, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.
Though artisans and devotees start preparing for the symbolic arrival of the goddess at least a month before the Durga Puja, Mahalaya is the day when the eyes of her idols are painted, reports NDTV.
What does "Mahalaya" mean?
Mahalaya is a blend of two words which lend it a beautiful meaning- Maha and Alaya. This means "Home of the Goddess."
On this day Durga Ma begins her journey back to her home, the earth, where her devotees reside. She begins her journey from Kailash Parvat, the abode of Lord Shiva.
Is there a legend behind Mahalaya?
The reason behind celebrating this festival borrows from the ancient Sanskrit lore that is part of the Markandeya Purana. According to this text, Durga Ma announced a war with a demonic buffalo, Mahishasur. He had evil pursuits and wanted to attack the heavens and the earth.
The battle was ongoing for a total of 9 days and nights. Can you guess on what day Durga Ma defeated the buffalo? Let us give you a hint, the 10th day is called as the Vijaydashmi. (Vijay means win; Dashmi means ten).
Why do we celebrate Mahalaya?
In the Hindu philosophy, it is a rooted notion that our ancestors pass on their "dosh" or sins to their children. This is known as the "Pitr dosh."
To get rid of this sinful energy and pay respect to Durga Ma, we celebrate the Mahalaya festival.
The 4 AM radio ritual
Ye Chandi, Madhu-Kaitabhaadi Daitya Dalani....On Mahalaya, the air is filled with one of the most revered traditions— the recital of the Mahishasura Mardini. This is an ancient Sanskrit composition that has been central to Durga Puja celebrations for ages.
All India Radio first broadcasted this 90-minute programme — scripted by Baidyanath Bhattacharya aka Bani Kumar and composed by Pankaj Mullick — at 4 am on Mahalaya in 1931. The programme is a one-and-a-half-hour audio montage that includes— a recital of the Chaṇḍipāaṭh, Bengali devotional songs, classical music and acoustic melodrama.
It is a programme that is aired in both Hindi and Bengali and has been enjoyed for over ninety years. You can listen to the program on AIR, or you can watch it on YouTube.
A 100-year tradition, tuning in to AIR Mahishasuramardini can perhaps be best described as an emotion that sets the mood for Durga Pujo in Bengal. Hereby wishing everyone a Shubho Mahalaya and Subh Navratri.
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