Mahalaya Amavasya 2023: Blessings From Maa Durga and Ancestors!

Did you know about the festival that welcomes Goddess Durga? It is the festival of Mahalaya Amavasya! This festival welcomes the beloved Goddess to Earth. Additionally, this is also the time to pray for the peace and well-being of our ancestors who reside in the divine realm. Mahalaya 2023 is an important festival which has a fascinating story behind its celebration. So let’s mark our calendars and count how many days left for Mahalaya to celebrate and receive divine benefits!

Mahalaya Date 2023: October 13, 2023, Friday

Tithi Begins: 9:29 PM

Tithi Ends: 10:54 PM

Mahalaya Amavasya Meaning 

Mahalaya is a significant festival which is widely celebrated within the Hindu community. This special festival represents paying homage to our ancestors as well as the divine qualities of the goddess Durga. 

To understand Mahalaya meaning, we should learn about Pitru Paksha first. This is because Mahalaya Amavasya signifies the end of Pitru Paksh. In Hinduism, Pitru Paksha is a period where we pray for those who have passed away. We perform various rituals to remember our ancestors and show gratitude towards them. 

Mahalaya Amavasya also means that it is time to prepare for the beloved Durga Puja Festival! Maa Durga puja Mahalaya means the beginning of Devipaksh. It the time to begin preparations for Durga Puja in full swing. Mahalaya comes on the fortnight or Amavasya of the Hindu month of Ashwin (September 30- October 28). 

Significance of Mahalaya 2023 in Hinduism

Mahalaya 2023 holds a lot of importance in the Hindu culture. It starts a period of celebration of the divine qualities of Maa Durga. Mahalaya Amavasya is the perfect time for us to remind ourselves of the strength of Maa Durga and seek her blessings.

During Mahalaya, people perform many rituals to praise the goddess. This is also an important day to connect with your ancestors. On Mahalaya, we ask our ancestors to give us valuable guidance as well as protection on Earth. We thank them for what they gave us and pray for their moksha.

People wake up to celebrate this day, which represents remembrance and gratitude. It is the perfect time to seek the blessings of both Maa Durga as well as your forefathers. It is the time to end the month of mourning and start various festivities for Durga Puja.

Also Read: Hariyali Teej 2023: Secret to a Happy Married Life

Mahalaya Amavasya 2023 Rituals

There are various rituals that people perform during this auspicious time. These rituals help us connect with our roots. They also help us seek protection and blessings from the gods as well as our ancestors.

1. Preparations for Durga Puja 

Start planning to celebrate this grand festival dedicated to maa durga because Durga Puja 2023 Mahalaya marks the start of Devipaksh. People prepare their homes to welcome the goddess. During this time, devotees bring statues of the goddess Durga in their homes and societies. Afterwards, they decorate a seat for her where she resides for the upcoming days. 

Devotees also wake up early in the morning to hear the telecast of Mahishasur Mardini on the radio. This is usually observed in Kolkata. They also sing hymns and praises for the goddess. Chandi Path is one such hymn which protects you from negativity and brings positivity to your life. 

2. Pitru Tarpan

Tarpan is a ritual that people perform for their ancestors. People do this to pray for their ancestors to receive salvation. They perform this ritual on the banks of sacred rivers like Ganga.

During this ritual, people offer various things as food to their ancestors. These include milk, black sesame seeds, honey, uncooked rice as well as ghee. People perform Pind Daan and seek peace and mukti for those who have passed away.

3. Chokkhu Daan

Chokkhu Daan is a very special Mahalaya amavasya ritual. It is the day when artisans draw eyes on the statues of Maa Durga. Chokkhu means eyes, and Daan means to give in Bengali. Therefore, this is a very important step in making statues of the goddess.

Devotees believe that drawing eyes on Maa Durga’s statue gives her vision. Therefore, she can see the sufferings of people and understand their pain. By doing so, she can solve their problems and give them her blessings to bring fortune into their lives.

4. Kola Bou

Kola Bou is another unique ritual of Maa Durga Puja Mahalaya. People perform this to pray for a good harvest as well as to impress their deities. It is a Bengali tradition which involves the marriage of a banana tree.

People decorate a banana tree with Sindur and drape a traditional Bengali saree around it. Afterwards, they place it next to Lord Ganesha as his bride. Additionally, people bathe the tree in holy rivers and perform puja with sandalwood and flowers.

Story of Mahalaya 2023

Mahalaya 2023 has different stories which tell us about the history of this festival. Because of diverse cultures and beliefs, people have passed on different folk tales which tell us the meaning and importance of Maa Durga Mahalaya.

1. Maa Durga’s arrival on Earth 

According to Hindu mythology, Maa Durga lived in the Kailash Parvat. This is because goddess Parvati is an avatar of goddess Maa Durga who is the wife of Lord Shiva. During Maa Durga Puja Mahalaya, she makes a visit to Earth.

This is because Earth is her maternal home. It takes her seven days to travel to Earth. She is also accompanied by her children, Lord Ganesh and Lord Kartikey. Upon her arrival on Earth, Durga Puja or Navratri begins to celebrate her stay.

2. Story of Karna

The reason why we pray for our ancestors has a connection with our sacred epic text Mahabharata. According to Mahabharata, Karn went to heaven after his death. However, in heaven, God gave him jewels and money to eat.

Karn asked God about the reason for doing so. God answered that during his time on Earth, he only donated wealth to those in need. Therefore, to fix this, God sent him back to Earth for some time. During this time, Karn donated food to those in need as well as to his ancestors. This is why we offer food to our ancestors on Mahalaya Amavasya.

3. The War between Gods and Demons

There were frequent wars between gods and demons. This led to destruction as well as loss of lives. According to Hindu mythology, a great war was fought between the two. Furthermore, this war lasted till Amavasya.

Therefore, on Mahalaya Amavasya, people started praying for the lost lives during the war. Additionally, over time, they started praying for their ancestors as well as family members who lost their lives.

4. Story of Mahishasur Mardini

Demon Mahishasur had a blessing from Lord Brahma. This made him undefeatable. Only a woman could kill him. He was creating chaos in the universe. Therefore, the gods asked Lord Vishnu to stop the demon.

As a result, Tridev came together to create Maa Durga. She had the powers of Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma. Therefore, she defeated Mahishasur, which gave her the name Mahishasur Mardini. To celebrate this victory, people celebrate Mahalaya as well as Durga Puja across the country.

In conclusion, Mahalaya Amavasya is a significant and beloved festival in India. It leads to the beginning of the Durga Puja festivities, marking the arrival of the goddess Durga. It is also a day to remember our ancestors and thank them for always guiding and protecting us. This festival is a celebration of faith, tradition, and community. To read about more such interesting festivals and the stories behind them, visit the InstaAstro website and download the app!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

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