Digital
Desk: Mahalaya is celebrated by Maa Durga devotees a week before Durga Puja
begins around the world. It is observed on the last day of Pitru Paksha (the
16-day lunar day period when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors/Pitrs) and
marks the beginning of Debi Paksha (the era of the goddess). Mahalaya thus denotes
the arrival of Goddess Durga, as does the festival centered on her worship,
Durga Puja.
During Mahalaya, family elders pay
homage to their ancestors by performing Tarpan, a ritual in which water is
offered to the souls of the ancestors on the banks of the Ganga. People in West
Bengal celebrate Mahalaya by listening to an early morning rendition of
Mahishasura Mardini - a set of Sanskrit recitations - on India's oldest radio
show, All India Radio Kolkata.
This year, Hindus will mark the end
of the Pitru Paksha, also known as Shradh or Shraddh, on Sunday, September 25.
Shubh Muhurat and Rituals for
Mahalaya 2022:
Amavasya Tithi on Mahalaya begins at
03:12 a.m. on September 25 and ends at 03:23 a.m. on September 26. Kutup
Muhurat will last from 11:48 am to 12:37 pm, Rohina Muhurat from 12:37 pm to
01:25 pm, and Aparahna Kaal from 01:25 pm to 03:50 pm, according to Drik
Panchang.
On Mahalaya, Bengalis and Maa Durga
devotees get up early in the morning to perform Tarpan. They offer prayers to
their ancestors' departed souls, bhog to the Brahmins, and alms to the poor.
Furthermore, on Mahalaya, sculptors only design Goddess Durga's eyes, colour
them, and perform a special puja before doing so. People also recite Chandipath
and other devotional mantras while listening to an early morning rendition of
Mahishasura Mardini on All India Radio.
The Importance of Mahalaya 2022:
Mahalaya has a special meaning for Bengalis because it marks
the start of Durga Puja celebrations in West Bengal. The day marks the arrival
of Goddess Durga with her divine powers to Earth from Kailash Parvat. It is
also known as Sarva Pitra Amavasya and marks the end of Pitru Paksha. It is
believed that the first ancestors bid farewell in the morning and that Maa
Durga returns to earth in the evening to bless her people.
Durga Puja will begin on Saturday, October 1, and will
conclude on Wednesday, October 5.
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