Mahalaya 2010 - Mahalaya Songs & Mahalaya Download

Birendra Krishna Bhadra (1905 - 1991) was an Indian broadcaster, playwright, actor and theatre director from Kolkata, and a contemporary of Pankaj Mallick and Nazrul Hasan. He worked for the All India Radio, India's National Radio broadcaster for several years during its early, starting 1930s, and during this period he produced and adapted several plays.

Today, he is most known for his soaring Sanskrit recitation through a two hour audio program, Mahishashura Mardini (Annihilation of Mahisasura) (1931), a collection of shlokas and songs broadcast by All India Radio Calcutta (now Kolkata) at 4 am, in the dawn of Mahalaya. He also acted and directed several plays in Bengali theatre and even wrote screenplay for film, Nishiddha Phal.

Career : He adapted and restructures several classics to produce notable radio plays. In the 1930s All India Radio, Kolkata started broadcasting a two hour program called Mahishashura Mardini which describes the epic battle of goddess Durga with the demon king Mahishashura. The script of this program was written by Bani Kumar and music directed by Pankaj Kumar Mallik. Birendra Krishna Bhadra recited. In 2007 Durga Puja opens with the same recital by Birendra Krishna Bhadra.

Bhadra wrote some plays including Mess No. 49, and directed a theatre production Sahib Bibi Gulam, a stage adaptation of the celebrated novel of famous author, the Bimal Mitra, in In 1952, he dramatized Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's Subarna Golak.

Legacy : His rendition, Mahisasura Mardini, is still played by All India Radio, every Mahalaya, marking the beginning of Durga Puja festivities. So popular was his version of the recitation that when in 1976, the voice of noted Bengali actor, Uttam Kumar was employed for the programme, it didn't get favorable response from the audience and it was shifted back to the original version of Birendra krishna Bhadra mahalaya .

On the Mahalaya day in 2006, Sujata Bhadra, daughter of the late Birendra Krishna Bhadra, got a cheque for Rs 50917 from music company, Saregama India Ltd as a royalty for her father's famous work.

Technology these day came with some extraordinary features or products that simply makes your dream comes true. Example like, iPhone & it's Applications.

The great thing about the iPhone is that while it is an extraordinary phone with some extraordinary features, there are also an umpteen number of super cool third party apps available which can help you do just about anything you can imagine with your iPhone.

By the help of this Free Application, Bengalis in there 30's and above can recollect old days when we were very young at the time of Mahalaya.

Now many of us are not living in Kolkata or in India for various reasons, but during days like these, our hearts still beat together. Thus if you miss the old days and searching for a way to listen to this years Mahalaya, whilst still in bed, this application will let you all to listen to Mahalaya by Birendra Kishore Bhadra anywhere you are round the globe.

Screenshot of this Application popularly known as iMahalaya.

Specially for NRI's : We miss Mahalaya , We miss Durga Puja and We miss you Kolkata !! ... Well, the time is over now .. There will be no more missing .. Download Mahalaya in your iphone Or in iPod and enjoy Durga Puja 2010 anywhere you like :)

Leave Your Comments ...

What Is Mahalaya ?

In Bengal, Mahalaya is an auspicious occasion observed seven days before the Durga Puja, and heralds the advent of Durga, the goddess of supreme power. It is an invocation and invitation to the mother goddess to rise, awake and descend on earth and annihilate the evils of the world by her Supreme Goodness -This is done through the chanting of mantras and shlokas and singing devotional songs. The day of Mahalaya ushers in the aura of Durga Puja. Mahalaya is an auspicious occasion observed seven days before the Durga Puja, and heralds the advent of Durga, the goddess of supreme power. It is an invocation and invitation to the mother goddess to rise, awake and descend on earth and annihilate the evils of the world by her Supreme Goodness - This is done through the chanting of mantras and shlokas and singing devotional songs. The day of Mahalaya ushers in the aura of Durga Puja.

Durga Puja is widely celebrated in West Bengal. Durga Puja includes the worships of Shiva, Lakshmi, Ganesha, Saraswati and Kartikeya also. Modern tradition have come to include the display of decorated pandals and artistically depicted idols of Durga, exchange of Bijoya Greetings and publication of Puja Annuals.

The day of Mahalaya is also the day of Remembrance. On this day, people offer Tarpan in memory of their deceased forefathers. The banks of River Ganges in India are peopled with many priests seen busy performing Tarpan for devotees in groups. The rituals start from early dawn and last till mid-day. Devotees and worshipers observe a fast since morning and offer food, water, clothes and sweets to their forefathers.

Thus, the auspicious Mahalaya day is religiously observed by performing this important ritual to remember our ancestors by doing the Tarpan in the names of those who were our near and dear ones but who are no longer alive with us today, though we cherish them in our hearts and minds.

After offering Tarpan, people break their fast and have their first meal of the day.

Mahalaya signifies the termination of Pitri Paksha and the beginning of Devi Paksha, thus ushering in the season of religious festivals. Durgotsav, as this festival is known in Bengal, commences from Mahalaya – this is the day that Goddess Durga is supposed to begin her journey with her children from her husband Shiva’s abode in Mount Kailash in the Himalayas to her parental home in the plains.

Note : In this Year Durga Puja 2010, the Exact Day of Mahalaya is 7th October 2010 and it will be telecast on Radio at 4 A.M

My Personal Review : I remember my childhood in Kolkata when that famous Radio programme of late Birendra krishna Bhadra about Mahalaya in the wee hours of morning when every house of Bengal open up with that loud charming voice of Birendra indicating the Ma Durga is coming. It was fascinating moment of my life :)

Comment your views about Mahalaya..

Sushmita Sen To Spend Durga Puja In Kolkata This Year

Bollywood diva Sushmita Sen plans to spend the Durga Puja festival next month in her hometown Kolkata along with her adopted kids to give them an idea about the biggest autumnal celebration in her state.

Sushmita Sen With Renee

"This time I have plans to spend my Durga Puja in Kolkata as this is my hometown. I want my kids (adopted) to know what Durga Puja really is," said Sushmita, who was in Kolkata to walk the ramp at a fashion show here.

The four-day Durga Puja celebrations begin on October 14. The 34-year-old actress, born in a Bengali family, has two adopted daughters - Renee and Alisah.

She adopted Renee in 2000, and in January this year she adopted a three-month-old girl, and named her Alisah.

Sushmita said she wanted to have biological kids also. "I will surely adopt more kids and also want to have biological kids too," the former Miss Universe said.

So when asked whether marriage was on the cards, the ever-smiling Sushmita replied: "I believe when the time comes it will surely happen. And I firmly believe that when I do get married it will be a perfect marriage."

In the past, the actress has dated actor Randeep Hooda and ad man Manav Menon.

Sushmita also spoke about her dream film project Rani Lakshmibai, and feels it will come true some day.

"The budget of the film is Rs.80 crore. But I was told to do it in Rs.30 crore, and I don't agree with it," she said.

"I don't believe in the rat race. Whatever movies I have done, I have done it with my heart," said Sushmita, who entered Bollywood with Dastak in 1996 and went on to do films like Biwi No.1, Filhaal and Main Hoon Na.

On Saturday, Sushmita walked the ramp as a showstopper for designers Shantanu and Nikhil at the sixth edition of the Seagram's Blenders Pride Fashion Tour in Kolkata.