Significance of Mahalaya

Well Friends, we are once again at this time point of time approaching the festive season of the year opening with Mahalaya on Friday, 30th September 2016.

Schools will be closing for the Puja vacations. Lots of us must have planned our holiday itinerary and thinking to ourselves well this year we are going to make the best of it.  Hoping Mother Rain does not spoil our plans.

Well, here we go starting with the Significance of Mahalaya (maybe quite a few of us may not know about it) so thought of trying to pen it down, so it is easier to understand what it is all about.  

I remember during my very younger days getting up at about 4.00 am / 4.30 am on this day,  the radios in the neighbourhood would be put on high, chanting the “ Durga Chandi Path” all at one time, that it really sounded good and we would not feel disturbed but enjoyed hearing it.

Sarvapitri amavasya (all ancestors' new moon day) is intended for all ancestors, irrespective of the lunar day they died. It is the most important day of the Pitru Paksha. ... Mahalaya is the day when the goddess Durga is believed to have descended to Earth.  

Significance of Mahalaya

With the advent of October, comes a very special time for all the Indians, especially for the Bengalis in the country. The autumn marks the coming of Goddess Durga, the divine form of shakti to earth.

The pujas are celebrated from the day of Mahalaya and lasts till Vijaya Dashami, when the Goddess, along with her sons Ganesh and Karthik and daughters Lakshmi and Saraswati are immersed in the holy waters. People across the country welcome her with open arms and a prayer in their hearts, and celebrate like there is no tomorrow.

Mahalaya

Mahalaya ushers in Durga Puja. Though people start the countdown to this festival from days in advance, the official start is the Mahalaya.

Mahalaya is an auspicious occasion observed seven days before Durga Puja begins, and it heralds the advent of Durga, the goddess of supreme power. It's a kind of invocation or invitation to the mother goddess to descend on earth by singing midnight chants of various hymns of 'Mahishasura Mardini' like 'Jago Tumi Jago'.

Mahalaya is also observed as the day of remembrance (something like “All Souls Day”). On this day, people offer 'tarpan'. The word ‘Tarpan’ has been formed from the root word ‘Trup’. Offering water to God, Sages, ancestors’ soul and human beings and satisfying them through it is called ‘tarpan’ in memory of their deceased forefathers. The holy river of Ganga becomes the center point of 'tarpan' as priests perform rituals for families that come to offer clothes and sweets to their forefathers. 'Tarpan' is performed in empty stomach and people eat only after they complete the rituals.

The next day starts the Navratri

The word Navaratri means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Devi are worshipped. The tenth day is commonly referred to as Vijayadashami or "Dussehra" (also spelled Dasera).

Wish you all the best and have a good holiday.

Parsan Narang

27th September 2016