Maintaining all norms people celebrate Mahalaya

Kolkata: Thousands of people offered 'tarpan' at the ghats along river Hooghly on Thursday morning in connection with Mahalaya which marks the end of 'pitripaksha' and beginning 'debipaksha'.

The day started with scores of people paying obeisance to their forefathers on the banks of river Hooghly amid the COVID-19 pandemic and by maintaing all norms.

According to the Bengali calendar Durga Puja will be held this year after 35 days and not after a week which is the usual practice.

People started gathering at the ghats and offered tarpan to their ancestors. Most of them wore masks and maintained physical distancing.

Police had made arrangements to maintain the gathering and put up guard rails in all the ghats. According to senior Kolkata Police officials, the gatherings on Thursday were much less than previous years.

However, maximum people gathered for offering 'tarpan at the Babughat and Ahiritola ghat. However, the gathering started thinning from 10 am. By 1 pm the tarpan in all the ghats were completed. During the tarpan hours police kept a strict vigil on the ghats and patrolled on the water using jet skis and speed boats.

The early morning rendition of Mahishasur Mardini — a collection of shlokas and songs dedicated to Goddess Durga — was aired on the All India Radio (AIR), marking the beginning of the festive season. On Mahalaya, the sculptors usually draw the eyes of Devi Durga, a ritual known as 'Chokhhu Daan'. However, it did not happen this year as Durga Puja starts over a month later. Durga Puja will begin on October 22 instead of the traditional seven-day gap from Mahalaya as the Bengali month of Kartik starting on

Friday is a 'mala mash' or lunar month, considered inauspicious for any religious or social festivity.

The Bishwakarma Puja, which is traditionally celebrated every year on September 17, has coincided with the Mahalaya this time