Bengal observes Mahalaya, gears up for 'Durga Puja'

The occasion of Mahalaya ushers in the Durga Puja festivity and the countdown for the week-long fiesta begins on this day.

The day marks the commencement of Devipaksha (Fortnight of the Goddess) amid rituals by the pious Hindus in the Ganges.

The occasion is observed since the wee hours of the morning by radio broadcast of late spiritual poet Birendra Krishna Bhadra 's Mahishasur Mardini recital.

The day brings along a nostalgia in Kolkata where every household plays this Birendra Krishna Bhadra's recitation of Mahishashura Mardini (a collection of shlokas and songs dedicated to Goddess Durga) at 4 am.

It is perhaps one day, when Bengali families bring out their transistors and tune in to All India Radio (Akashvani) Kolkata for the broadcast.

Mahalaya generally rings the bell for the spirit of festivity as the Bengali community along with other Hindus gears up to welcome goddess Durga along with her four children (Laxmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh), who make their annual trip to maternal house on earth.

Besides these, the day holds a special significance as hundreds of Bengalis perform a ritual called' Tarpan' on the banks of the Ganges.

The ritual is observed to pray for the departed souls of the family.

Since Mahalaya starts the countdown for the main five days of the Durga Puja, 'Puja' organisers gears up with their last bit of preparations on the marquee.

The day, being observed as a holiday in many organisations and institutions, paves in the way for last minute shopping in Kolkata.

The market places are witnessed extra crowded on this day with the maximum number of footfalls.

Even food joints and restaurants are not spared as festive frenzy Kolkatans commence their celebrations from day one of Devipaksha.

Durga Puja is an annual Hindu festival which is celebrated by the Hindus all over the world, when they worship the Hindu goddess Durga..