Mahalaya: Invoking the Mother Goddess

 With a breezy chill to the evenings, a dip in the temperature and for those in Bengal, the fragrance of the flower shiuli signifies that Durga puja is nearing. The six days of festivities commence with Mahalaya. This year Mahalaya falls on September 18.
t is on Akshaya Tritiya that the idols of Goddess Durga and her family are moulded, but the eyes of the Goddess are painted on Mahalaya. As the myth goes, Goddess Durga visits the earth for only four days from her marital home in Mount Kailash. Bengalis welcome her into their homes, like a daughter who comes visits the maternal home from her in-laws.

The day is also significant for Bengalis as it’s the day they pray for their ancestors.

People take a dip in the Ganges in the wee hours of the morning, this entire ritual is called the torpon.


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