Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Matri Rupena Sansthita
Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namo Namah
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Buddhi Rupena Sansthita
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Shakti Rupena Sansthita
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Nidra Rupena Sansthita
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Chaiya Rupena Sansthita
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Daya Rupena Sansthita
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Kanti Rupena Sansthita
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Bhranti Rupena Sansthita
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Shantih Rupena Sansthita
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Tushti Rupena Sansthita
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Lakshmi Rupena Sansthita
These are the lines from the epic recitation of Mahishashur Mardini.
I can remember the time when I was little, during the time of Mahalaya, my father used to wake me up very early morning. 4 Am I guessing. It used to be really dark in the morning and chilly as well, since Calcutta enjoyed a really lovely climate during the pujas .
Every year we would get up early- me and my dad - to listen to “Mahishasura Mardini ” and "Chandipath" by Birendra Kishore Bhadra .It used to broadcast on All India Radio, and I still remember how my dad would weave a magical atmosphere by telling me what the recitation was all about. The ceof Good over Evil . How evil demon king Mahishasura was blessed to never die in the hands of a man and how the gods created Goddess Durga and endowed her with ten hands and ten Bhahmastras to vanquish the evil as a loophole of that endowment to Mahishasura.
Maa Durga as we used to fondly call the goddess as, was also our first lesson in respecting the strength of a woman .As we awaited the radio transmission to come on- witnessing the birds fly out of their nocturnal slumber to witness and welcome the dawn which signified the first day of the Pujas – the day Mahishasura was vanquished – Mahalaya – the magical 10 days of fun and devotion, of culture and learning, of happiness and love, of family and friendship was here.
Maa Durga as we used to fondly call the goddess as, was also our first lesson in respecting the strength of a woman .As we awaited the radio transmission to come on- witnessing the birds fly out of their nocturnal slumber to witness and welcome the dawn which signified the first day of the Pujas – the day Mahishasura was vanquished – Mahalaya – the magical 10 days of fun and devotion, of culture and learning, of happiness and love, of family and friendship was here.
I still recall vividly how my dad would go to increase the volume on his Philips amplifier as Biderendra Krishna Bhandras immortal voice would start reciting which I believe was also called the CHANDIPATH…and we would welcome the goddess to her earthly abode and the inauguration of DURGA PUJO with Mahalaya.
As Mr.Bhadra's voice modulated slowly to a crescendo before tipping down again while he narrated how the divine goddess fought the evil demon king and killed him when he hid as a buffalo, I would visualize the epic battle in my mind as my dad translated the portions I couldn’t understand. The classic tale of good over evil was an overpowering one as well as the respect and faith in the idea of God which we all would have questioned several times as we grew up.
We never missed this special broadcasting ever as far as I can remember. Now many of us who are not living in Calcutta for various ,unite in the festivities with this recitation on Mahalaya. The hair still stands on the nape of my neck as I hear the rendition and it’s a part of my life which is synonymous with the idea of being a Bengali.
The pujas were magical as we not only got to wear new clothes , eat amazing food which is the pride of the Bengali Culture , it was also time of great stories of folklores being told to youngsters by the older generation reaffirming the passage of culture from one generation to the other , as well as arranging marriages and engagements.
My dad was a great story teller and he would tell me about how this Puja at this time of the year is called the OKAAL BODHON or the untimely invoking of Goddess Durga by lord Rama during the epic battle between him and Asura King Raavan and how the lessons of Professionalism could be imbibed from this one story of Ram invoking Debi Durga. The folklore goes that Rama being a Kshatriya (warrior) was not caste wise allowed to perform the pujas and he requires a Brahmin to do so .As to my amazement, he narrated how Ram sought the services of Raavan who was a supreme Brahmin himself to conduct the pooja .It was on Raavan's conducting of the Puja did Goddess Durga get invoked and she granted Ram the blessing and weapon to kill Raavan.
As Mr.Bhadra's voice modulated slowly to a crescendo before tipping down again while he narrated how the divine goddess fought the evil demon king and killed him when he hid as a buffalo, I would visualize the epic battle in my mind as my dad translated the portions I couldn’t understand. The classic tale of good over evil was an overpowering one as well as the respect and faith in the idea of God which we all would have questioned several times as we grew up.
We never missed this special broadcasting ever as far as I can remember. Now many of us who are not living in Calcutta for various ,unite in the festivities with this recitation on Mahalaya. The hair still stands on the nape of my neck as I hear the rendition and it’s a part of my life which is synonymous with the idea of being a Bengali.
The pujas were magical as we not only got to wear new clothes , eat amazing food which is the pride of the Bengali Culture , it was also time of great stories of folklores being told to youngsters by the older generation reaffirming the passage of culture from one generation to the other , as well as arranging marriages and engagements.
My dad was a great story teller and he would tell me about how this Puja at this time of the year is called the OKAAL BODHON or the untimely invoking of Goddess Durga by lord Rama during the epic battle between him and Asura King Raavan and how the lessons of Professionalism could be imbibed from this one story of Ram invoking Debi Durga. The folklore goes that Rama being a Kshatriya (warrior) was not caste wise allowed to perform the pujas and he requires a Brahmin to do so .As to my amazement, he narrated how Ram sought the services of Raavan who was a supreme Brahmin himself to conduct the pooja .It was on Raavan's conducting of the Puja did Goddess Durga get invoked and she granted Ram the blessing and weapon to kill Raavan.
How Raavan stayed true to his professional duties changed my mindset and treatment towards Raavan forever. This story of professionalism is what I still repeat in my corporate Trainings and Management Classes to state that no person is entirely good or bad. Its circumstances and choices that make him /her appear to look good or bad in that matter.
Staying away from Calcutta and in a place where I find struggling to remain a Bengali everyday and stay true to my culture in my own small world, I look forward to Mahalaya Torpon on 27th September 2011. I look forward to hearing on my music system, recreating the Calcutta in my mind as I hear Mr.Birendra Kishore Bhadra recite
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Shakti Rupena Sansthita
Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namo Namah
I will look out of the window and welcome a new dawn .This year as again the pujas would be different. My wife is not a Bengali and as I welcome the pujas, I would don the role of my father and tell her the story of how Gods created Debi Durga to vanquish evil and wish that I would be able to pass on this lovely cultural gem to my children, who would someday do the same.
As I pray for strength not to break down emotionally to Maa Durga, I ask her to give me the strength to fight the demons within and bless my family with love and happiness that we may be blessed to live another day, to hear yet another year as we invoke the Goddess in the voice of Birendra Kishore Bhadra reciting
Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Daya Rupena Sansthita
Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namastasyai, Namo Namah
