People Web International

By Manashimaya Duttagupta

Mahalaya marks the advent of Durga Puja, the most auspicious occasion of the Bengalis, in India. The stay of Goddess Durga on Earth is only four days long. But Mahalaya starts before seven days with the chanting of ‘Mahisasura Mardini’ at dawn. ‘Debipaksha’ starts from this day. Goddess Durga is invited on Earth by the chanting of “Jago Tumi Jago”. Early at dawn people go to Ganga and pray for their demised relatives while standing in the water. This entire process is known as Torpon. The festival of Mahalaya is very important for the Bengalis. At noon the rituals are brought to an end. New clothes and sweets are offered by the devotees to their forefathers.

Debipaksha
Debipaksha is the duration of the fifteen days from one new moon to the full moon which comes next. Goddess Durga is depicted as “Dashapraharana-dharini”. It means that each of her hands hold ten special weapons presented by ten different Gods for killing “Mahishasura”

The Story
Mahishasura was a demon who had threatened gods to throw them out of heaven. He terrified all staying in the heaven and was a big threat to the existence of the entire universe. He was indomitable due to a boon bestowed upon him by Brahma. He had gained this after a hard meditation. None of the Gods and Goddesses be it Indra, the king of the Hindu gods, or be it Kumara, commander of the armies in heaven, could defeat him. Being helpless the gods asked Vishnu to help them.

Vishnu first took the form of Narasimha and then that of Varaha, but failed to defeat Mahishasura. Shiva opened his third eye, which could destroy all the three worlds, to set free the fire of disaster. But that was also in vain. Suddenly then Brahma brought out a lightning stream from his mouth and Goddess Brahmi appeared on a swan with books of knowledge in her hand. Similarly Indrani, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi and Shivani came into being. They combined with each other and the beautiful Goddess Durga arose. All the gods gifted Durga with ten different weapons and then she prepared for the fight riding on a lion. After a great battle, Mahishasura was defeated by the Goddess when she stroked the demon’s heart with her trident.

There after, it is said that the gods then bestow upon this Supreme creation their individual blessings and weapons. Armed like a warrior, the goddess rides a lion to battle with the Mahisasura. After a fierce combat the 'Durgatinashini' is able to slay the 'Asura' king with her trident. Heaven and earth rejoice at her victory. Finally, the mantra narration ends with the refrain of mankind's supplication before this Supreme Power:

"Ya devi sarbabhuteshshu, sakti rupena sanksthita Namasteshwai Namasteshwai Namasteshwai namo namaha."

Goddess Durga visits her parents place that is on this earth with her children every year and stays here for five days and then she leaves this place, that is the earth till the next year. Her stay on this earth gives happiness and prosperity to everyone.

.. A Landmark Composition
“Mahisasura Mardini” is a remarkable piece of audio drama matchless in Indian culture. Though the theme is mythical and the mantras Vedic, this program is a landmark composition. It's scripted by Bani Kumar, and narrated by Birendra Krishna Bhadra. The enchanting music is composed by none other than the immortal Pankaj Mullick, and the songs are rendered by famous singers of yesteryears.

As the recital begins, the serene morning air resonates with the long drawn sound of the sacred conch shell, immediately followed by a chorus of invocation, melodiously setting the stage for the recitation of the Chandi Mantra.

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 combined into one gives the listeners a melodious program. The program has also been translated into Hindi set to similar orchestration and is broadcast at the same time for a pan-Indian audience.

Late Sri.Birendra Krishna Bhadra whose voice still echoes through the radio  with his wonderful recitation on ‘Chandi Kavya’.

He worked for the All India Radio, India's National Radio broadcaster

This program has almost become synonymous with Mahalaya. For nearly six decades now, the whole of Bengal rises up in the pre dawn hours, 4 am to be precise, of the Mahalaya day to tune in to the “Mahisasura Mardini” broadcast.

With the advent of Mahalaya, Navratri starts, ‘nav’ means nine and ‘ratri’ means night. There are many stories related to the conception of’Navratri’ like all Indian festivals. All of them are about the Goddess Shakti (Hindu Mother Goddess) and her various forms. These  days are dedicated (Goddess Durga). Her various incarnations – Kumari, Parvati and Kali are worshipped. They represent the three different classes of womanhood that include the child, the young girl and the womanhood. Other days of the festival season are also dedicated to Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth and prosperity), dressed in gold and mounted on an owl and finally to Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Knowledge), dressed in milky white and mounted on a pure white swan. The festival culminates on ‘Mahanavami’.Sweets are made in every home and distributed amongst neighbours and relatives. On the tenth day the idol of Goddess Durga is immersed in the lake and in some places Ramnavami is also celebrated. After which people visit their relatives’ and friends places to share their joy and happiness with food and celebrations. With the celebrations that lasts for five days as Durga Puja and in some places for nine days as Navaratri, it has become a social festival rather than merely a religious one.

-by Manashimaya Duttagupta, PWI Reporter National Capital Territory Delhi
October 2011
Contact: nct.delhi@peoplewebinternational.com