Wed Oct 02 05:56:04 UTC 2024: ## Mahalaya Amavasya: A Day to Remember Ancestors and Welcome Durga

**Kolkata:** Mahalaya Amavasya, also known as Sarva Pitru Amavasya, is an auspicious occasion in the Hindu calendar dedicated to performing tarpan and shraddha for departed ancestors. This ritual is believed to bring peace to the souls of the deceased and enhance the merit of the performer. This year, Mahalaya Amavasya falls on Wednesday, October 2nd.

According to the Hindu Panchang, Mahalaya Amavasya marks the beginning of Navratri and the end of Pitru Paksha. It is a special day for welcoming Goddess Durga. Mahalaya is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Bengal, where the final preparations for Durga Puja are made on this day, including the installation of Durga idols.

On Mahalaya, people throng the Ganga ghats in Kolkata and Howrah to perform tarpan, bidding farewell to their ancestors. The day is also marked by the arrival of Goddess Durga in her maternal home, and she is celebrated as a daughter in Bengal. This day is an important occasion to offer shraddha to ancestors, offering them water and food while praying for their blessings.

Special pujas are performed to welcome Goddess Durga and mark the beginning of the Devi Paksha, a period that includes the nine days of Navratri and Lakshmi Puja. The joyous occasion of Mahalaya is celebrated in Bengal with special rituals, including Kanya Bhoj, which is symbolic of welcoming the daughter, Parvati, to her maternal home.

Read More