Raat Furole e kaal Vore Mahalaya.. Mahalaya is an auspicious occasion observed seven days before the Durga Puja, and heralds the advent of Durga, the goddess of supreme power. Its a kind of invocation or invitation to the mother goddess to descend on earth - Jago Tumi Jago. This is done through the chanting of mantras and singing devotional songs. Mahalaya marks the start of the Devipaksha and the end of the Pitri-paksha. The ritual of Torpon- Sarat in its bloom, mingled with the festive spirit of Durga Puja reaches its pitch on the day of Mahalaya. It is the day when many throng to the banks of river Ganga, clad in dhotis to offer prayers to their dead relatives and forefathers. People in the pre-dawn hours pray for their demised relatives and take holy dips in the Ganges. This ritual is known as Torpon. The eldest son is the one who generally performs the Shraddha. Any male relative of the paternal branch of relatives can also perform the rites. Some castes perform for only one generation, while others offer to more, commonly three generations. The foods which are usually being offered to the ancestors are cooked in silver or copper vessels and are offered on banana leaves. The foods may vary but it must include rice, dal, kheer,lapsi, yellow gourd, and certain vegetables. The one who performs the Shraddha is expected to take a holy bath and then should wear a dhoti. The Pinda –daan (offerings during the Shraddha) are made bare-chested. Then a cow and dog are also fed. The Brahmins are offered then with the food. Once all these are done with, the family members can begin their lunch. Whys Mahalaya So Special? Since the early 1930s, Mahalaya has come to associate itself with an early morning radio program called Mahisasura Mardini or The Annihilation of the Demon. This All India Radio (AIR) program is a beautiful audio montage of recitation from the scriptural verses of Chandi Kavya, Bengali devotional songs, classical music and a dash of acoustic melodrama. The program has also been translated into Hindi set to similar orchestration and is broadcast at the same time for a pan-Indian audience. https://youtube/watch?v=-uwjlI82yzk
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:14:12 +0000
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