Why celebrating Mahalaya before Durga Puja In Bengal?

 

 

 

The festive mood gets started in India with the celebration of Durga Puja. Durga Puja or Navratri is one of India's most popular festivals that no Indian perhaps want to miss. 

West Bengal remains the centre of attraction during Durga Puja, and here, the festivity begins with the celebration of 'Mahalaya'. 

Mahalaya is celebrated on Amavasya Tithi, and it is the day when “ Pitru Paksha” ends and “Devi Paksha” starts. People believe that it is the day when Ma Durga starts her voyage to her maternal home on the earth from Mount Kailash. 

Mahalaya is celebrated to applaud the victory of Devi Durga over demon Mahishashura. The day is also celebrated by worshipping the ancestors of the Bengalees.  People pray for peace for the departed souls of the family. 

The members of a family, who take part in Shraddha, first need to take a bath to purify themselves. Many prefer to take a bath in the river Ganga on that particular day early in the morning. Then Shraddha or Pinda Dana takes place with the help of priests. Shraddha means to devote cooked rice mixed with ghee and black sesame seeds in the ancestor's name. 

Mahalaya is an auspicious day, following which many Pooja Organizers in West Bengal bring their “Durga Pratima” to their Pooja Pandals. So, we can say that from Mahalaya, people start enjoying the festive mood of the long-awaited Durga Pooja.

Sindur Khela – A traditional custom of Bengali woman during Durga Puja

Image source: Vedic Flok

 

Vijaya Dashmi is one of the most significant Hindu Festivals that is celebrated on the 10th day of Navratri. This festival is also popular as Bijoya Dashami or Dussera in many parts of India. Among various rituals performed during Vijaya Dhasami, one of the most significant rituals is Sindur Khela. This ceremony is performed in Bengal, on the last day of Durga Puja. Bengali married women take part in this festival and enjoy the day a lot. Bengali women mark sindoor or vermillion on the forehead and the feet of the Goddess. After that, sweet is offered to Maa Durga. Then the married Bengali women smudge each other with sindur, and this act is called sindur khela. Based on mythological stories, this ritual will bring good luck to them, and Devi Durga will bless their husbands with a long life.

 

On this, special day, women dress up in white saree with a red border. Every woman performs arati at first and then smears the forehead and feet of the Goddess with Sindur. The sweets and betel leaves are offered to Maa Durga. After worshiping Devi Durga, the women start smudging each other wish Sindur and then offer sweets to each other. It is believed that Sindur Khela is the representation of women's power for the well-being of her family. These days modern women do not restrict to wearing only red and white saree. You will find Bengali woman in different colors saree to brighten up the festive mood sindur khela. 

 

The origin of this custom or the proper date and place of the derivation of this ritual is not known. It is believed that this ritual started nearly 200 years ago. The married women of renowned Zamindar houses started this ceremony. As per another story, Sindur Khela is as old as Durga Puja that is nearly 400 years.

 

With Sindur Khela ends the celebration of Durga Puja In Bengal and the Devi idol with her family taken for bisarjan.