Durga Pujo '09

Hmm, at last the long awaited days of Durga puja has come. ঐ কথায়ে আছে না,

bengaliদের বারো মাসে তেরো পারবোন । (কেনো? why?)

This year might not be that special for me but who cares... everybody is happy. Shopping has already started in bengal. Don't know about other countries but protima কুমোর পারা থেকে পানদেলের দিকে রোঔনা দিয়ে দিয়েচে ।. জোদিও মায়ের মুখটা দেখা গেলো না (তেরপোল দিয়ে ঢাকা রেখেছিলো), but anyways মুখটা এখোনো complete হৈনি বললেই চোলে. চোকটাই জখন নেই, তোখোন মুখ আর কি দেখবো ।

মহালায়া সামনে। কারোর মোনে পোরে রেডিওতে মহালায়ার সকালে BIRENDRAKRISHNA Bhadরের মহিশাশুর মরদিনি পাট ?

Go to folder - FileFactory.com

Oops! মহালায়ার বেপারে একতু বোলেনি আগে ।

Mahalaya

On this holy day of "মহালায়া" ("Mahalaya") all of Bengal wakes up to the early morning radio broadcast of ‘Mahishasur Mardini’ (Hymns and sloka-snippets by Birendrakrishna Bhadra) the splendid incarnation of the arrival of Goddess Durga, along with her own illustrious family and their respective Vahanas.

It signifies the end of "Pitripakshya" and the beginning of the Holy " Debipakshya", a time for Brahmins to pay tribute to the deceased souls of their forefathers with the divine hymns chanted by the priests and the phenomenal bathing ceremony on the celestial Ghats of Mother Ganges. Over the years "Mahalaya" nestled in to most sentimental part of a Bengali heart.

এই গেলো মহালায়া নিয়ে । english-এ লিখলাম জাতে সোবাই বোঝে । এই পুজো তো আর সুধু bengal-এ হ্্য না । মোটামুটি পরিথীর সব দেশেই হ্্য । তাই সোবার জানা উচিত ।

Durga Pujo

The most important festival lasting for five days of September-October and longest vacations of West Bengal. Held in autumn, in the past era, it was organised and financed by the landlords and the business barons.

Today the celebration of Durga Pujo has stepped out of the threshold of Zamindars and Rajbaris

and now seeped in to the form of ‘Sarbojonin (সারবোজোনিন)Durgotsav’ or ‘Baroari (বারোয়ারি) Pujo’, contributed and participated by people from all strata of the society.

Lasting 5 days during September-October this commemorates the triumph of Goddess Durga over the evil Mahishasura and is celebrated with utmost excitement, pomp and grandeur and piety throughout the state.

This also depicts her annual visit to her parents place on earth along with her four children from her heavenly abode on Mount Kailas. Preparations start long before the festival.

This is the season for gifts, new clothes are purchased, shops overflow with the latest goods. People take to the streets to visit the thousands of puja pandals which spring virtually at every street corner.

The pandals, around 2000 in and around Kolkata only, mostly constructed on the lines of monuments and heritage buildings with innovative illuminations and Durga idols are works of exquisite art.

Commencing from Shasthi to Saptami, Ashtami and Nabami, the festivities come to an end with heavy hearts on Mahadashami, the 10th day when the images are carried in decorated carts or trucks in festive processions to be immersed in river Hooghly.