Mahalaya
Mahalaya Ya devi sarbabhuteshshu, sakti rupena sanksthita Namasteshwai Namasteshwai Namasteshwai namo namaha Today is Mahalaya. Bengalis (originally people residing in undivided Bengal of pre Independence India, now divided into West Bengal of India and Bangladesh) around the world consider this a very auspicious day. It is the day which to invoke our dear beloved Goddess Durga to descend on earth for a trip to her maternal home, along with her 4 kids - Ganesh, Saraswati, Laxmi and Kartik. Goddess Durga is considered Durgatinashni or a vanquisher of all troubles. She is also the slayer of Mahishashura - the buffalo demon. Mahalaya is very special for a special audio program that is broadcasted over AIR (All India Radio) year after year (precisely from 1930) from 4 AM in the morning. Termed "Mahisasura Mardini" (the lady who killed the buffalo demon) this program is a beautifully composed and rendered with Vedic slokas, songs and