Hundreds offer 'tarpan' on Mahalaya in Assam

GUWAHATI: Devipaksha began on Friday with the chanting of 'Mahisasur mardini' and 'Chandipath' and so did the countdown to the Durga Puja. Hundreds of people gathered on the banks of the Brahmaputra to offer 'tarpan' to their forefathers. Temples and city pavilions also came alive to the chantings of 'Chandipath'.
Mahalaya marks the end of the fortnight of 'tarpan' and the beginning of the fortnight for the goddess.In this fortnight, devotees remember Abahan and Leela. Bapan Chakraborty, a priest, said, "The seven-day countdown to the puja starts with Mahalaya. Only a few days are left for the goddess to arrive at her parental home with her children, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesha."
The day of the new moon, known as Mahalaya amavasya, will mark the beginning of Dussehra. The auspicious start time of the 'tarpan' was 6.17am. Since it is considered a very holy day, people perform 'shradh' of their parents and forefathers. The eyes of the goddess are also painted on this day.
Puja committees organized various programmes and took out processions. The secretary of the Guwahati Sarbajanin Durga Puja Committee, Latashil, Bijit Pradip Das, said they played the songs of 'Mahisasur mardini' in the morning followed by chantings of 'Chandipath'.
"Mahalaya is the day idol-makers paint the eyes, nose and lips of the goddess," he said.