On Friday is Mahalaya, the day of the invocation of the Goddess Durga in the form of Mahisasurmardini, which means slayer of the demon Mahisasur. Mahalaya marks the first day of the biggest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community, Durga Puja
Mahalaya is an invitation to the mother goddess to rise, awake and descend on earth to annihilate the evils of the world. The day of Mahalaya is also the day of remembrance. On this day, people offer Tarpan (prayers) in memory of their deceased ancestors.
Mahalaya is the day on which the goddess Durga is supposed to begin her journey with her children from her husband Shiva’s abode on Mount Kailash in the Himalayas to her parental home on the plains.
The traditional six day countdown to Mahasaptami starts with on Friday’s Mahalaya. The goddess Durga visits the earth for only four days, but seven days prior to the Puja she begins her journey.
It is the day when the whole of Bengal wakes up to the reverberating chants of the Chandi mantras of Birendra Krishna Bhadra.
To mark the day, the Dhaka City Sarbojanin Puja Committee has organised various programmes, including the installation of Mahalaya Ghat and special puja (prayers) at the central puja mandap at Dhakeshwary National Temple. Special cultural programme will also be held in the evening.