Millions of Bengalis wake up before dawn to listen to the recorded broadcast of Mahishasura Mardini, featuring the iconic voice of Birendra Krishna Bhadra reciting slokas and mantras from the Chandi Path🙏🏻

Mahalaya Amavasya (New moon) is a day that marks the end of Pitru Paksha and marks the beginning of Durga Navaratri 🙏🏻. Mahalaya celebrates the day Goddess Durga begins her descent from Mount Kailash to her maternal home on Earth.

People perform Tarpan by the water, offering prayers, food, and water to honor the souls of their departed ancestors

Offering to ancestors: Prepare a meal without onion and garlic, served on a fresh banana leaf outside the puja room, placed in front of ancestor pictures. Offer a portion of the prepared food to crows (believed to reach the ancestors) and provide grass or rice to cows.

Donate food (Annadanam) or essentials to the needy, poor, or elderly on this day.

Light a sesame oil lamp in the home or at a temple in the evening & pray.

Subho Mahalaya 🙏🏻 (Best wishes on Mahalaya)