Mahalaya – Knowing more about the Divine Day by Riddhima Sen

On 21st September, the devi paksha has begun. The Devi paksha marks the beginning of the period when the Goddess sets foot on the earth, for a timespan of approximately ten days. The count however begins from the day of Sasthi, when the divine idol’s eyes are opened. The piece of cloth covering the Goddess’s eyes represents the foliage of lie covering our eyes while we look at it from a close distance, or maybe from afar too. As soon as the cloth gets lifted, the truth gets exposed to us. The celebrations continue, each day signifying the importance of feminine power and energy.

This year, Mahalaya Amavasya marked the end of Pitrupaksh. Pitrupaksh refers to the period of offering prayers to one’s ancestors, including certain offerings like rice as well. The morning of Mahalaya is once in a year – at the crack of dawn, sharp at 4 am, the world wakes up to the Chandipath by Birendra Krishna Bhadra being played on the speakers. Certain Bengalis even prefer listening to the auspicious chant on the radio as well. It is an emotion for all Bengalis all across the world. Durga Puja is often associated with petpujo , or the worship of the stomach , as a food fest gets unleashed during the Pujas .