📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / TAPAS KUMAR HALDER
Religion
Devotees perform tarpan for ancestors on Mahalaya in West Bengal
✍️ The Meghalayan Express
🗓 11 Oct 2026, 03:33 AM
👁 10
On Mahalaya, Hindus across West Bengal gathered to offer tarpan to their forebears, marking the start of the Durga Puja season. Senior leaders Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari greeted the crowds during the ceremony.
On the auspicious day of Mahalaya, devotees across West Bengal gathered at temples and riverbanks to perform tarpan, the ritual offering of water and prayers to departed ancestors. The ceremony, observed by families of all ages, is considered the spiritual prelude to the Durga Puja festivities that follow.
The event attracted large crowds in major cities such as Kolkata, where the Ganges and Hooghly banks became focal points for the rites. Participants recited traditional mantras while offering water, rice and flowers, seeking blessings and remembrance for their forebears.
Political figures, including senior Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee and opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari, made brief appearances to greet the devotees and acknowledge the cultural significance of Mahalaya. Their presence underscored the festival's role in uniting people across political lines.
Authorities reported that the gatherings remained peaceful, with police and municipal teams coordinating crowd management and ensuring safety protocols. No incidents were reported, and the rituals concluded with communal prayers for prosperity and harmony.
Mahalaya marks the beginning of a month-long celebration that culminates in Durga Puja, and this year's observances reflected both reverence for tradition and a collective hope for a harmonious festive season.
The event attracted large crowds in major cities such as Kolkata, where the Ganges and Hooghly banks became focal points for the rites. Participants recited traditional mantras while offering water, rice and flowers, seeking blessings and remembrance for their forebears.
Political figures, including senior Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee and opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari, made brief appearances to greet the devotees and acknowledge the cultural significance of Mahalaya. Their presence underscored the festival's role in uniting people across political lines.
Authorities reported that the gatherings remained peaceful, with police and municipal teams coordinating crowd management and ensuring safety protocols. No incidents were reported, and the rituals concluded with communal prayers for prosperity and harmony.
Mahalaya marks the beginning of a month-long celebration that culminates in Durga Puja, and this year's observances reflected both reverence for tradition and a collective hope for a harmonious festive season.