Mamata wishes Bengal on Mahalaya, highlights Durga Puja's UNESCO heritage

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday wished people of the state on the occasion of Mahalaya, which marked the advent of Devi Paksha.

The Trinamool Congress supremo also launched the autumn number of TMC mouthpiece ‘Jago Bangla’ (Wake up Bengal) and inaugurated several Puja pandals in the city.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also wished everyone on the occasion of Mahlaya and highlighted the universal spirit of togetherness embodied in the Durga Puja festivities in Bengal, which had received the UNESCO heritage status.

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Now just one week remains before the start of the four-day Durga Puja festivities.

“Devi Durga, please be awake. My best wishes to everyone on the occasion of Mahalaya,” the CM said in an X post in Bengali.

She also mentioned the significance of this day when people perform rituals like ”tarpan’ (offering prayers to the ancestors).

Banerjee posted a music video on the social media platform; she wrote the song and composed music for it as well.

In the afternoon, the CM launched the autumn edition of ‘Jago Bangla’ newspaper of Trinamool Congress and lent her voice to a devotional song along with Minister of State for Tourism and Information and Cultural Affairs Indranil Sen, who is a known singer.

She then offered puja at Lake Kalibari and also inaugurated their Durga Puja organised on the opposite side.

Later in a post on X handle, the CM said her new album of Puja songs, ‘Durga Angan’ was launched during the launch of Jago Bangla autumn edition.

Banerjee said several popular and acclaimed singers lent voice to the 16 songs composed by her. They include minister-singers Babul Supriyo and Indranil Sen.

আজ আমি আমাদের সর্বভারতীয় তৃণমূল কংগ্রেসের মুখপত্র 'জাগো বাংলা' পত্রিকার উৎসব সংখ্যা প্রকাশ করলাম। অনুষ্ঠানে উপস্থিত ছিলেন আমার সকল সহকর্মী। বাংলার দুর্গাপুজোকেন্দ্রিক বিপুল সাহিত্যসম্ভারে 'জাগো বাংলা'র এই উৎসব সংখ্যাটি একটি মূল্যবান সংযোজন বলে আমি মনে করি। এই প্রকাশনার সঙ্গে…

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) September 21, 2025

“Let me inform you that after the Jagannathdham in Digha, we are setting up a Durga temple in New Town, which is named Durga Angan,” she added.

The CM inaugurated several Durga pujas in the city, including Selimpur Pally, 95 Pally Jodhpur Park, Babubagan and Chetla Agrani.

At Chetla Agrani, she performed the ‘Chokkhu Dan’ ritual, in which the eyes of the Goddess Durga’s idol are painted.

From a city puja pandal, she virtually inaugurated several acclaimed Durga Pujas in districts located in the northern and southern parts of the state.

TMC national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, in an X post, wished people on the occasion of Mahalaya and for the upcoming Durga Puja festival.

“Those who had been making false claims that Durga Puja is not being allowed to be celebrated in Bengal, are now saying the state is gripped by Durga Puja spirit and fervour as they arrive for public meetings. They are making the about turn ever since UNESCO conferred heritage status to Bengal’s Durga Puja,” he said in a video message.

He was alluding to previous comments by BJP leaders like Amit Shah about Durga Puja organisers allegedly facing difficulty in celebrating the festival in the state, and a recent observation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that, while visiting the city, he could sense the festivities in the air.

Extending his heartfelt wishes to all on the occasion of ‘Mahalaya’, Abhishek Banerjee said, “It marks the triumph of light over darkness.”

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