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Kolkata, Sept 27, 2011 (Washington Bangla Radio / IBNS): The dawn of Tuesday morning commenced with the enchanting voice of late spiritual poet Birendra Krishna Bhadra narrating the 'Mahisasur Mardini' on All India Radio and thus marking the ocassion of Mahalaya, which also heralds the Durga Puja countdown.
The six-day countdown to the beginning of Durga Puja starts from Mahalaya and every Bengali this day wakes up with the joy that only a week is left for celebrating their annual festival of five days as goddess Durga along with her four children (Laxmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh) make their annual trip to maternal house on earth.
Mahalaya marks the start of 'devipaksha' (Fortnight of the Goddess) amid rituals by the pious Hindus in the Ganges.
Hundreds of Hindus of Kolkata went to Babughat, on the banks of the Ganges to perform 'Tarpan' — the ritual of praying for their departed ancestors.
The organisers of Durga Puja gears up to give a close inspection to the remaining of the works left in decorating their 'pandals' (make shift temporary temples where Durga is worshipped) on Tuesday and make sure that the works gain more pace to complete the finishing touches.
People go for their final hours of Puja shopping on Mahalaya day in the nearest shops and malls and specially with rain affecting the last Sunday before the commence of the festival this year the businessmen can expect some good business on this day.
Bengalis got a bit nostalgic as they shared their feelings listening to the rendition of Mahalaya programme.
It is part of every Bengali life for more than half a century with All India Radio (Akashvani) Kolkata broadcasting Birendra Krishna Bhadra’s recitation of Mahishashura Mardini (a collection of shlokas and songs dedicated to Goddess Durga) at 4 am on the day of Mahalaya.
"It has been a tradition in my house since I think the programme was first broadcast. It was my grandfather who used to call me up in the morning and make me listein to this programme every year. We follow the tradition even today and start the dawn of Mahalaya with Mahisasur Mardini," said businessman Subrata Saha.
" I cannot think of a Mahalaya when we started a dawn without listening to 'Mahisasur Mardini' . The voice of Birendra Krishna Bhadra has a strong power in it and it is actually from this day that we feel that the festival season is round the corner," a college student from Kolkata Amitava Das said.
"May be in this age of technology one can hear Mahisasur Mardini with a click of the mouse on internet but the feeling that one can have by listening to this programme on the dawn of Mahalaya is something completely different," said Calcutta University media student Priyam Maullick.
Popular Bengali film actor Koyel Mullick played Goddess Durga at special show titled ‘Durga Durgotinashini’ aired on Star Jalsha channel on occasion of Mahalaya on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Supriyo Hazra, Photos by Avishek Mitra)
