Subhechcha Ganguly 
While there are various myths and/or legends linked to the day, the general consensus is that on this day, Goddess Durga, who lives on Mount Kailash with her husband Lord Shiva, begins her official trek to her maternal home on Earth.
The holiday season is quickly approaching, and Goddess Durga has already started her descent after defeating Mahishasura. And we have the fortunate day of “Mahalaya” to serve as a reminder of our victory. This yearly celebration not only has religious and spiritual significance, but it also serves as a reminder of the strength of honesty, bravery, and the universal reality that good will always prevail over evil.
What is Mahalaya and the reason for celebrating it?
First off, the day of Mahalaya heralds the start of the Devi Paksha and the close of the Pitri Paksha, a season of grief. Due to the fact that shradhh, or death rites, are done during Pitri Paksha, Hindus view this time as unlucky. During this 16-day lunar cycle, people remember and honour their ancestors by making food and drink offerings.
Mahalaya, however, is a joyful event. Despite the fact that there are numerous myths and/or legends connected to the day, the general consensus is that on this day, Goddess Durga, who lives on Mount Kailash with her husband Lord Shiva, begins her trek to her maternal home on Earth. Bengalis celebrate it ardently and occasionally make comments on the joyous autumn weather and the “pujo-pujo” atmosphere.
(Picture Credits : Roopsa Mukherjee)
It is said that Goddess Durga travels this entire week in a chosen vehicle with her four children Ganesha, Kartik, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. It might be an elephant or a horse, a boat or a palanquin.
Approximately seven days before Durga Puja, Mahalaya is observed. Every Bengali home gets up early in the morning, sometimes even before the sun, to listen to Birendra Krishna Bhadra’s booming rendition of “Mahishasura Mardini,” a collection of songs and mantras. The most well-known of these chants, Jago Tumi Jago, which means “awaken, oh Goddess!”Several cultural activities and programs also take place during this day.On this day, certain Hindu households also carry out the pitritarpan rite, in which they make prayers to the deceased in the shape of “pind-daans” on the banks of the Ganges River.
Wriitten by : Subhechcha Ganguly
