Mahalaya is an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar, celebrated with great fervor and devotion in the Indian subcontinent, especially in West Bengal, India, and Bangladesh. It is celebrated roughly seven days before Durga Puja, which is a ten-day long festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga. The word “Mahalaya” is derived from two Sanskrit words, “Maha” and “Alaya,” which together mean the “Great Abode” or the “Home of the Goddess” . It is believed that on this day, the goddess Durga begins her journey from Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, to Earth, to descend upon her devotees. This event is narrated in the mythical story of Mahalaya, a recitation known as “Mahishasura Mardini” . The central theme of Mahalaya is based on a legend from the “Devi Mahatmya” (The Glory of the Goddess), an ancient Sanskrit text that is a part of the Markandeya Purana. This text narrates the story of the goddess Durga and her battle against the demon Mahishasura, a buffalo demon who terrorized the heavens and Earth.

Mahalaya is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion in India, especially in the state of West Bengal, where it holds tremendous cultural and religious significance. In different parts of India, Mahalaya might be celebrated with variations in customs and traditions, but the common thread is the reverence for goddess Durga and the anticipation of the grand Durga Puja festival that follows.

The significance of Mahalaya is that it marks the beginning of Devi Paksha and the end of the Pitri Paksha, the latter of which is a period of mourning. Hindus consider Pitri Paksha to be inauspicious because shradhh or death rites are performed during this period. It is a 16-day lunar period during which people remember and pay homage to their ancestors using food and water offerings. During Mahalaya, eld...