Staff correspondent :

The countdown to Sharidiya Durgotsav is starting today from Saturday. As soon as the light of the dawn comes, after the Pitra Paksha, the Devi Paksha begins. Goddess Durga will be invoked through Chandipath.
Apart from Chandipath, Mahalaya ghats will be installed and special pujas will be held in various temples and mandaps. Mahalaya basically means counting the days of Durga Puja.
Mahalaya is an important part of Durgotsavam. Puranas have three phases of Durgotsava – Mahalaya, Bodhan and Sandhipuja. Mahamaya is the source of infinite energy. According to Purana, on the day of Mahalaya, Goddess Durga was tasked with killing Mahishasu. According to Shiva’s boon, no human or god can ever kill Mahishasura. As a result, the infinitely powerful Mahisasur expelled the gods from heaven and wanted to become the supreme lord of the universe. So the trio of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva combined to create the inexhaustible feminine power in the form of ‘Mahamaya’ and Goddess Durga, armed with the ten weapons of the gods, defeated and killed Mahishasura in a 9-day long battle with an army of lions.

The word Mahalaya has a special meaning. Termination of pitra paksha or previous condition of devi paksha is called mahalaya. However, there is a difference of opinion in this regard. The word ‘mah’ means ‘worship’, while ‘mah’ also means festival. Besides, Mahalaya means Mahalaya with ‘great’ and ‘alloy’. Add ‘a’ to it and ‘alloy’ of worship. The word ‘alloy’ means ‘shelter’. Again, Mahalaya refers to the fatherland, where the heavenly ancestors reside.
Tarpan to the ancestors starts from the dawn of Mahalaya. In Sanatan Dharma, it is said that departed souls come from heaven to mortal world. Many people pray for the well-being of the souls of deceased relatives and ancestors. Tarpan is offered to the ancestors by offering water-sesame-food.
Various temples and puja committees will hold various programs on the occasion of Mahalaya. Under the initiative of Mahanagar Sarvajanin Puja Committee, Dhakeshwari National Temple Melangan Central Puja Mandape, Dhaka Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Bardeshwari Kalimata Temple, Dhaka University Jagannath Hall, Siddheshwari Temple, Ramana Kali Temple, Loknath Brahmachari Ashram and Temple at Swamibagh, Ramsita Temple, Jayakali Temple etc. Mahalaya Ghat will be installed from dawn through Chandipath, Chandipuja and special puja.

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