HT CORRESPONDENT
SIVASAGAR, Oct 14: Mahalaya, the ancient Hindu
religious tradition of respecting the ancestors or paying
homage to them, was observed with solemnity at dawn on
Saturday in Sivasagar by all Durga Puja Samities led by the 90
year old Barowari Puja Samity.
Hundreds of Ma Durga devotees chanted prayers from Chandi
and made rounds in the streets in procession.
In the evening, earthen lights were lit in all Puja pandals and
households in the town to welcome the Autumn festival Durga
puja which begins on this day every year.
Our Tezpur Correspondent adds: Proclaiming the onset of
Goddess Durga the entire ‘Usha Nagari’ Tezpur celebrated the
most auspicious Mahalaya with mirth and great religious
fervour on Saturday morning with various programmes.
Puja pandals in Tezpur including Mahabhairav temple
became alive in the early hours of the morning with
wonderful rendition of enchantments of ‘Durga Vandana’ or
‘Durga Stuti’ and lighting up of earthen lamps.
Mahabhairab temple here witnessed the passage of the advent
of goddess Durga with enchantments of ‘Durga Vandana’ and
dance performance presented altogether by students and
teachers of Binapani Music and Art School of Tezpur under
supervision of artists Gaura Mandal and Jayanta Mukherjee.
District commissioner of Sonitpur and president of the
Mahabhairab temple management committee Deba Kumar
Mishra started the programme by lighting earthen lamps. The
much awaited title song of the Mahabhairab temple composed
by noted lyricist Bankim Sarma which was sung by reputed
artist of the state Tarali Sarma at the overall music direction of
artist Simanta Kakati was also launched by the District
Commissioner Mishra during the programme. In his inaugural
speech District Commissioner Mishra analysed the significance
of the day of Mahalaya with a very insightful speech and
offered heart full thanks to the team engaged in production of
the song.
During the programme conducted by Pankaj Barua several
numbers of distinguished individuals including Kalyan Kumar
Kalita, Manoj Kumar Baid, Amit Kumar Nath and Jaan Saikia
were acknowledged and felicitated for their generous
contribution to the temple.
Meanwhile, in the sideline of the programme the newly
constructed marketing stalls were also inaugurated with cutting
of ribbon by the district commissioner Mishra and keys for the
stalls were also handed over to the concerned businessmen.
Among the dignitaries Karabi Saikia Karan,CEO Sonitpur Zila
Parishad, Gaya Prasad Agarwala, district development
commissioner, Pankaj Borah, additional district commissioner,
Hiranya Bhuyan, secretary, Mahabhairab Temple Management
Committee, Anjali Kalita, vice president, Mahabhairab Temple
Management Committee, Dipamani Saikia, Ward Commissioner
,Bankim Sarma, President, Baan Theatre,Tezpur and several
individuals were present in the programme.
