Durga Puja/ Navaratri

[Guest guest]

Mahalaya

 

An old Bengali proverb says that if the 'kash' has started flowering,

you know the rains are over and autumn has begun. The hour of the

goddesses is at hand and Bengal awaits them expectantly - Durga,

Lakshmi and Kali.

 

Once a year, in the autumnal month of Ashwin, she comes home to her

parents, together with her four children, Ganesh, Laxmi, Karttik and

Saraswati, and enjoys all the love and attention lavished on her.

Unfortunately, this visit lasts only three days, and on the fourth

day she starts on her journey back to her husband's abode in the

mountain kingdom of Kailash.

 

The traditional six day countdown to Mahasaptami starts from

Mahalaya. Goddess Durga visits the earth for only four days but seven

days prior to the Pujas, starts the Mahalaya. The enchanting voice of

Birendra Krishna Bhadra fill up the predawn hours of the day thus

marking the beginning of "devipaksha" and the beginning of the count-

down of Durga Puja. Sarat in its bloom, mingled with the festive

spirit of Durga Puja reaches its pitch on the day of Mahalaya.

 

>From this day starts 'Devipaksha' and marks the end of 'Pitri-

paksha'. It is the day when many throng to the banks of river Ganga,

clad in dhotis to offer prayers to their dead relatives and

forefathers. People in the pre-dawn hours pray for their demised

relatives and take holy dips in the Ganges. This ritual is known

as 'Torpon'. This day bears immense significance for the Bengalis. It

is according to the myths that Sree Rama hastily performed Durga Puja

just before he set for Lanka to rescue Sita from Ravana.

 

According to Puranas, King Suratha, used to worship the goddess Durga

in spring. Thus Durga Puja was also known as Basanti Puja. But Rama

proponed the Puja and worshiped Durga in autumn and that is why it is

known as 'Akal Bodhon' or untimely worship. It was considered

untimely as it is in the myths that puja was performed when the Gods

and Goddesses were awake i.e. "Uttarayan" and was not held when the

Gods and Goddesses rested ie."Dakshinayan". It was on the day of

Mahalaya, the beginning of "devipoksha", the Gods and Goddesses woke

up to prepare themselves for Durga Puja.

 

Akashvani Mahalaya: In the year 1930, Mahalaya was first broadcasted

over the radio in Akashvani. The programme was organised by Premankur

Aatorthi, Birendra Krishna Bhadra, Nripendra Krishna Mukhopadhya and

Raichand Boral. It was broadcasted live then. Later it was recorded

and played. Bengal's cine star, Uttam Kumar had once recited Mahalaya

while Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhya was the music director. But it was

not popular among the mass and from then it has always been the voice

of Birendra Kishna Bhadra enthralling the listeners in the pre-dawn

hours of Mahalaya. The script was written by Bani Kumar, music was

directed by Pankaj Kumar Mallik while Dijen Mukhopadhya, Manobendra

Mukhopadhya (Tabo Achinta....), Sandhya Mukhopadhya, Arati

Mukhopadhya, Utpala Sen, Shyamal Mitra and Supriti Ghosh (Bajlo tomar

alor benu....) sang in their melodious voices.

 

http://www.bangalinet.com/mahalaya.htm

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This sunday is Mahalaya for those who celebrate Durga Puja. I have

grown up listening to this every single of my 48 years. The sounds

play in my soul, all I have to do is close my eyes and I go into a

trance.

 

To hear it on the web try going to -

http://www.calonline.com/puja2000/mahalaya.html clk on <mahalaya>

 

"Ya devi sarva bhuteshu, matri rupen sanstrita

Namastashyeyi, Namastashyeyi, Namastashyeyi Namoh Namaha."

 

This festival is celebrated in different ways in different parts of

India. I hope all members will share their celebration with us.

 

Greetings to all!

 

_/\_ Tat twam asi

 

Uma

[Guest guest]

It was pointed out that the link I posted earlier doesn't have the

entire program. This one however has the whole thing, or had it at

least when I heard it.

 

http://www.kolkatabeckons.com/durga.html

 

clk on Mahalaya

 

_/\_ Tat twam asi

 

Uma

 

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Post 4445 "Tatwamasi" <tatwamasi> wrote:

>>

> To hear it on the web try going to -

> http://www.calonline.com/puja2000/mahalaya.html clk on <mahalaya>