Mahalaya 2022: Here's all you need to know about the auspicious day

Durga Puja, the biggest festival of the Bengalis, is celebrated annually during the month of Ashwina (September and October). The

Published on Sep 24, 2022 05:37 PM IST 7 Photos

The 10-day-long festival of Durga Puja begins with Mahalaya. It is observed at the end of Shradh or Pitru Paksha, a 16-day period when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors.(Unsplash)

Mahalaya marks the end of the Pitru Paksha and the beginning of Devi Paksha. As per the Hindu calendar, the celebrations of Mahalaya begin a week before the Durga Pooja.(HT Photo/Samir Jana)

It is believed that on this day goddess Durga begins her journey from Mount Kailash, where she is believed to stay with her husband Lord Shiva to her maternal home on earth.(PTI)

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On the day of Mahalaya, every Bengali household wakes up early in the morning before sunrise and performs rituals.(Subhendu Sarkar/Getty Images)

Some Hindu households offer the ritual of pitru tarpan wherein they offer prayers and offerings (pind-daan) on the banks of the river Ganga for the departed ancestors.

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