What do people do on Mahalaya?
They wake up early in the morning to recite or listen to hymns.
This was a post I wrote in 2018,and every year ,I try to add a few pictures or stories of how we are celebrating Mahalaya.
If you know about Durga pujo you will know about Mahalaya. If not I will tell you a little bit about it.
In West Bengal, Mahalaya is the beginning of the biggest Bengali celebration of the year. It is believed that on this Day Goddess Durga visited Earth from the Heavens. The Durga Pujo festivities are not just religious fervor. It’s also a socio-cultural melting pot. (Bengali: মহালয়া) marks the beginning of Durga Puja prayers and festivities.
I am a Bengali and exactly how much the homecoming of Maa Durga means to a Bengali soul defies words. With Mahalaya coming we just don’t want to work anymore. Its time to pray and have serious fun.
What are these hymns chanted on Mahalaya?
Chandipath or the Devi Mahatmya is a Hindu religious text which describes the Goddess as the creator of the Universe. It is an important part of the Markandeya Puran In this text you get a glimpse into why the Goddess is all-powerful. Parvati appears as the Goddess Durga with the powers of all the God within her and destroys Mahishasura. The Goddess is very angry because Mahishasura has taken over Heaven and made God’s homeless. He is also spreading anarchy everywhere. Blessed by Lord Brahma, this evil tyrannical demon cannot be killed by any man or God. Its invincibility or something close to it.
Mahalaya: The underlying significance
- The power of the collective is often much more than the most powerful. Maa Durga is created out of the supreme powers of all Gods and Goddess Laxmi, Saraswati, and Parvati. She is blessed, cherished and she fights for all. This makes Hinduism unique. This ancient religion is one of the few where the feminine forms are equally revered. Throughout the scriptures, you will read that the ultimate power lies in the feminine aspect of the higher powers.
Mahalaya 2020
In 2020 Mahalaya falls on 17th September .While Sashti is supposed to be six days later.This year we are in for a shock and Durga pujo starts on 21st October(Panchami).The intervening 35 days is inauspicious due to two new moons. A strange event which happened last in 2001 and before that in 1982.
2020 is definitely unique in many aspects and this one is just one more.I am going to spend the next 35 days praying for the vaccine to be ready soon soon.
- Women are not weak and their softer appearance helps to grace the world and is not a sign of weakness.
- Demons, when given a choice between good and evil, will always choose evil and power.Your choices determine your destiny.
- All rules can be broken when it’s for the greater good.
- Good stories are important, where good wins. There is power in mass belief for good or evil. If there’s a choice, it’s always best to spread optimism and positivity.
- Many of world’s problems have their root in discrimination against women.
- Women have power in them, they are blessed by the Shakti form of the Goddess.
- Nonviolence has its part. But just like we eradicate diseases, evil needs eradication. The medicine is suited to the disease, all problems cannot be solved non-violently.
- With each Durga Pujo, be stronger as a woman, as a sister, daughter, and mother. While you cannot save or guide everyone, that you are trying , will inspire others. Some stories are timeless and this is one of them!
Maa Durga is coming here on earth and she is getting ready for her yearly battle. Good versus evil, the eternal battle and it’s always women who fight the hardest and strongest. The most beautiful mother in this world is also the strongest. Keep that Maa Durga part inside you alive and strong. You never know when you will need to save the world.
Rest of the posts in the series
Durga Pujo part 2019 (coming soon,watch this space ).Durga pujo stories, food, fashion,pandal hopping.travel, memories and all things pujo!
Featured post
How is the Health of the Nation: The report is an eye-opener!
Durga Pujo as a festival I first saw the glorious celebrations when I moved to Hyderabad. Would love to see it in Kolkata sometime. Thanks for sharing the info.
Since childhood, I knew that the Sharad Navratris were more about the goddess than Ram & Ravan (given that we celebrate Dussera at this time) but had no idea about the entire story. But coming to Kolkata brought me up and close with this story and now this has become an integral part of my living in this city
Yes that happens.Happy Durga Pujo
Great post, Greetings _()_
Best wishes for Durga Pujo
Have a very happy Durga Pujo
Very informative post ???? Amrita.
Thanks for sharing ????
Thanks for visiting
Very beautiful post. The perfect way to start Durga Pujo
Thanks for visiting
Wonderful to read all your posts and this one is another lovely one.
It is a beautiful time of the year. I love the Chandipath. Such a sublime call to awaken the divine. By the way, with all me too movement happening around this time, it is a demonstration of women power and mahisaurs are getting slayed.
I hope they do .Thanks Abhijit I love this time of the year too!
Good.
Great Post… Loved how you described the essence behind Mahalaya
Very nice post Amrita… Loved reading it and the perfect post to start of the #bloggersdurgapujo train.
Thanks Shamik.