Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday greeted people on the occasion of Mahalaya, wishing everyone prosperity and good health.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister greeted people with, “Shubho Mahalaya!…We bow to Maa Durga and seek her blessings for the well-being of our planet and the welfare of our citizens. May everyone be happy as well as healthy in the times to come,” the prime minister tweeted.
Shubho Mahalaya!
We bow to Maa Durga and seek her blessings for the well-being of our planet and the welfare of our citizens. May everyone be happy as well as healthy in the times to come.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 6, 2021
Mahalaya, in fact, signals the beginning of grand Durga Puja celebrations with idol makers. This year’s celebrations are expected to be held through strict observance of Covid protocol. The day is marked on the last day of Pitra Paksha.
According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Durga was created on this day by Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheswar to defeat the demon king Mahishasura. Therefore, devotees mark this day as the arrival of Goddess Durga on Earth from Kailash mountains with her divine powers.
Another significance of the day is that idol makers mark goddess Durga’s eyes and put colours to it. They later perform special worship of the goddess.