Maa Durga started her journey towards the earthly realm and her maternal home yesterday, which is celebrated as Mahalaya. She will reach her home in six days and mark the beginning of Durga Puja, which has
been integrated into the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as of December 15, 2021.
However, the people of Kolkata want to start this auspicious festival with a bang!
They created history on October 10 as 3,000 dhakis set the Guinness World Records in Kolkata’s Eden Gardens stadium on Mahalaya. There was also a drone show featuring 3,000 drones in an ambitious attempt to create a world record.
Before the event, several videos of the thousands of dhakis rehearsing together at Eden Gardens had already attracted attention on social media.
Who are Dhakis?
Dhakis are traditional drummers in Bengal who play the huge, barrel-shaped drum called the dhak. Their high-energy beats are considered the heartbeat of Durga Puja and are a mainstay at any pujo celebrations. The tradition of Dhakis is passed down through the generations. However, Dhakis do not exist throughout the year. This traditionally male-dominated industry sprouts up each year as the low-paid agricultural labourers travel to major cities like Kolkata specifically for the 5 to 7 days of Durga Puja or Kali Puja to supplement their income.
The music/beats played by the Dhakis are unique and are called pujar badyo. They are meant to be played for Bodhon (the welcoming of Goddess Durga), Sandhi Puja (the pivotal worship at the conjunction of days), Sandhya Arati (evening prayers), and Visarjan (the final immersion).
The Dhakis are an integral part of the pujo celebrations in Kolkata and Bengali culture, as they provide the foundation for the Dhunuchi Nritya — a traditional devotional dance where devotees balance smoking clay incense burners in their hands and mouth, and dance in front of Durga idols at the pandal.
Why is Mahalaya important in Bengali culture?
Mahalaya is an auspicious Hindu occasion that marks the end of Pitru Paksha (the 16-day period of honouring ancestors) and the beginning of Devi Paksha, signalling the arrival of Goddess Durga. It marks the day the Goddess begins her journey from Mount Kailash to her earthly maternal home, leading up to Durga Puja.
It also celebrates the invocation of Goddess Durga aka Mahishasuramardini – the ten-armed warrior goddess – as she prepares to vanquish the demon Mahishasura. And this is meant to symbolise the ultimate triumph of good over evil.
Maa Durga is not just considered a deity but as a daughter who is returning to her maternal home. It is considered a time for feasting and not fasting for Bengalis.
Similar to the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Maharashtra, during India’s freedom movement in Kolkata against British colonial rule, the coming together to celebrate Durga Puja in the community was promoted as it helped unite people across all types of neighbourhoods in Kolkata. These collective celebrations across the city were used as a way to spread the message of revolution against colonial oppression among the entire Bengali community and even plan for resistance movements against the British.
Bengali literary figures like Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam also helped to cement the ideology that Durga’s divine feminine triumph over evil is equal to India’s liberation from colonial oppression.
What is Eden Garden famous for?
Eden Gardens is the oldest and most iconic international cricket stadium in India. Cricket is an important part of Bengali cultural life, and this stadium has hosted some of the country’s most historic matches and teams. As India’s second-largest cricket stadium and the third-largest in the world, Eden Gardens is called the ‘Mecca of Indian cricket’ and the ‘Lords of the East’.
Established in 1864, the folklore surrounding the name of the stadium is uncertain. While some say the stadium is named after the location where it is located, other mention that it was named after the Eden sisters – Emily and Fanny. They were sisters of George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1836 to 1842. The stadium was initially named the ‘Auckland Circus Gardens’ and later renamed the ‘Eden Gardens’ in 1841.
