The puja countdown begins as Bengal observes Mahalaya
Mahalaya, slated a week before Maha Saptami, marks the commencement of Devi Paksha. it is a day where the elders of a family pay homage to their ancestors by performing several rites, known as Tarpan, on the banks of river Ganga.
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.
"Mahalaya is magical," said Gautam Mallik, a college student, "It sets the tone for the rest of the puja," Mallik added.
"This day brings a new kind of joy to us, it makes us feel that puja is knocking at our doors," said Prathama Sinha, a college goer.
The day, being observed as a holiday in many organisations and institutions, paves in the way for last minute shopping in Kolkata.
It also serves as a day where the upcoming puja plan is chalked.
"I generally pen down my pujo to-do list on Mahalaya," said Riya Kar, a student of Vivekananda College. "I decide the clothes that I'm going to wear and the pandals I'm going to visit beforehand, and Mahalaya is an apt day to do so," she added.
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