Mahalaya.....The holy starting of "Devi Pakshya"

"Matlo re bhubon....bajlo tomar 

aalor benu!!!!"

Every year the Bengali use to get up early morning, in this special day listening this tune under the "Aahir Bhairab" raga. So before I start to right the post I want to wish you "Subho Mahalaya".May Devi Durga shower her blessings over you and your family. 

     So, in this context I can't control my greed to share some memories of the early days of my life. I use to thought that What is it? What is Mahalaya? What is the connection of Durgapuja with this? Because, between Durgapuja and mahalaya, there are some 5-6 days gap. So what is the speciality in Mahalaya? Why this day is considered to be holy? And not getting the exact answer I have started to develop an idea in my own....that "Mahalaya" is the particular radio program that is broadcasted  by "Aakash Vaani" every year in this particular day, at early morning.

     Afterwards my dad explained about this day to me. That, this is the first day when Devi Durga and Mahishashur ( Buffalo Demon) started to fight. And from this day the "Devi Pakshya" starts. Devi Pakshya, that means, the time in favor of Devi Durga and the another male Gods, whom that demon defeated and captured the throne of Paradise.

Devi Durga and defeatd Mahishashur

    There is an interesting story about this epic war of  a Male and a Female. That this Mahishashur, the demon got the blessings of  God Brahma, and got his words that in the three area that means Swarga the Paradise, Martya the Earth and Patal the Underground....no one can kill him. No male warrior can kill him because he wanted to be immortal and he never mentioned about any female because that time the female were not been considered as warriors. And getting Brahma's blessing he started  massacre  in three areas. And captured the throne of  paradise. The King of Gods obliged to leave the throne and escaped from there with his generals, who are the another gods like Water god Varun, Fire god Agni and another. He came to Brahma with his generals and told him that how reckless the demon is. Listening the problem and seeing their position he Went to "Baikunth" the place of the another Supreme God Vishnu with the another gods. There he found the third Supreme God Maheshwar. He told everything to them and listening that Vishnu and Maheshwar became so angry And their anger including Brahma comes out in the state of fire from their forehead. The fire of anger came out from the another gods also and the huge burning fire like a mountain took the attire of the most beautiful young lady, who is known as Devi Durga. The gods gave her the weapons from themselves and decorate her with many lovely ornaments and told her about their problem and beg Mahishashur's death. After that Devi Durga and that demon fought for nine days starting from the day of Mahalaya. and on tenth day Devi Durga defeated him and killed him. "Mahalaya"   means the great calamity. Maha in Sanskrit/Bengali means Great and Laya in Sanskrit/Bengali means Calamity. This time of war is known as Devi Pakshya. And the 15 days before this day is known as Pitri Pakshya.

Tarpan

        Now embracing this Pitri Pakshya, there is an another interesting story. We all know the Hindu epic Mahabharat. In that epic there was a  warrior hero Karna, who was the son of the Sun God and Queen Kunti by birth. But was brought up in the family of a Chariot puller, though he was the first child of Kunti. But Kunti conceived him by fault in her maidenhood and that's why she floated her first child in stream heavy-heartedly, and in the fear of society. So without knowing the real fact of his birth, he thought himself as a son of the Chariot Puller Sushen instead of a prince, who served Mahamahim Bhishma, the great hero of Mahabharat and as well as the eldest member of the royal Kuru family. This Karna in his lifetime never give anything to eat or anything to drink to his ancestors because of his ignorance about that. So when in Kurukshetra war he died and went to the paradise he was given a lot of gold to eat. He was surprised to see that and in that very time the King of gods Indra told him that he never gave any food or any drink to his ancestors in his lifetime, so he is given the gold to eat. Then Karna told him about his ignorance and asked him togrant him to t iake birth in the earth again to please his ancestors by offering them food and water.

Tarpan

      Then Indra grant the permission and Karna took birth in earth and offered the food and water to his ancestors who were thirsty for years and also them who have nobody to give food and water at the holy day of Mahalaya which is known as Tarpan. And till now the people do this Tarpan by Sanskrit hymn and please their ancestors and another who have nobody to give so. This Mahalaya is also known as the Invocation of devi Durga the female power, by the holy enchanting Sanskrit hymns.....

"Ya Devi Sarba Bhuteshu

Sthiti Roopena Sanhasthita

Namstasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai

Namo Namahah.  "

The first step to Durga Puja....

 The biggest festival of Bengalies are Durgapuja. And today I have started the journey towards it from Kumartuli. The area in Kolkata, where the Durga idols are prepared from the ancient time. The artists are too busy this time as the festival is knocking the door. The Durga idols are half prepared, and they are finishing the work as soon as possible. They are so busy that they have hardly any time to take rest for some times or have some relax. They are just grabbing their foods and start their works. As they have not enough time to take their food quietly also. The making of the 
sceliton for the images, then making of body with earth ,coloring the earthen idol, giving the shape and the perfect expression of the
faces of the idols, putting the clothes and 
jewelleries on the idols and then the delivery. The Durga puja is the main source of income for these needy artists. This time many people and photographers use to come this area to take the photos of their works. These idols are the best specimen of these artists' working excellence. 

I went there and saw the works and just mesmerized seeing that how much hard labor and how much effort they use to give to make idols for every puja.......

Project

Going to start my first project on the Digital Media this Sunday from Kumortuli. From the very early time of making the idol of the heavenly mother I wanna start my journey. So, I'm going to start my "JOURNEY ARMED" this Sunday with HER blessings......

The first blogging.... like the first time walk!!! I am a toddler in this way now. But I hope I will get the enough maturity within a few weeks. But the first time experience is always special......