Lucknow: The tunes of the iconic Mahishasura Mardini stotra echoed through Bengali households across Lucknow before dawn on Saturday as devotees marked Mahalaya, the traditional invocation of Goddess Durga and the ceremonial beginning of the Durga Puja season.At 4 am, residents of Rabindrapalli Colony gathered at the Kali Bari temple to listen to the sacred Chandipath. Women dressed in traditional red-and-white saris, men in white and golden kurtas and excited children came together to usher in the occasion.“This year, we decided to gather as a colony and listen to the Chandipath together because the festival is all about togetherness. After the recital, we shared tea and bun butter,” said a resident, Shomita Mukherjee.The spirit of Mahalaya was equally evident at the home of Devanshu Chowdhury and his wife, Shefali, who woke up before dawn with their seven-year-old daughter to tune in to the broadcast.“We had set an alarm and were eagerly waiting for it. We got ready and switched on the television to listen to the Mahishasura Mardini stotra,” they said.In Sunderbagh, Class XII student Binay Roy briefly put aside his exam preparations to observe the tradition with his family. He woke his parents and siblings up at 4 am, and the family listened to a recording of the recital together on his phone.As dawn broke, the familiar chants filled homes and temples, carrying memories passed down through generations. For Bengalis, Mahalaya is more than a ritual. It marks the emotional start of Durga Puja and the arrival of the festive season.
