Mahalaya

Tomorrow is Mahalaya.

Mahalaya happens a week before the Durga Puja. The puja countdown begins from Mahalaya.
It is a sort of invitation to Goddess Durga to descend on earth.

Wherever I am, I have to find time to listen to " Mahisasura Mardini”, Songs and Shlokas on Mahalaya at dawn. Not out of any compulsion, but because I love listening to it. Birendra Krishna Bhadra voice is immortal. To me no Mahalaya is complete without listening to him.

There is certainly something about this day...
It could be that since I was a little child, my parents used to wake us up at 4am to listen to Mahalaya.

The radio would be in my parents room and each of us would listen to it from our rooms. None of us had to get out of our beds...but we did keep awake to listen to the complete Mahalaya. Not because our parents insisted, but because we loved listening to it.

I guess the early morning ambience combined with the shlokas and songs has a spiritual element to it.

Can't wait for my dose of Mahalaya tomorrow morning.
Happy pujas everyone.