Dusshera celebration in our society

Every year, on the day of Dashami, we feel sad because the immersion of Ma Durga pratima takes place on that day. We all feel the pain of separation while sending Ma Durga back to Kailash. DD Bangla airs daily puja performed by Ramkrishna Mission Belur from Shashti tithi to Dashsmi Tithi. Thus we watch the darpan visarjan ritual from Belur Math, which officially ends the puja rituals for this year. Then we do pranaam to the elders of our house and they bless us along with sweets.

During this time, National television channels air the last part of Ramleela. Ravan Vadh takes place at the end of this performance. We also watch that on television while feeling the happiness of the winning of goodness over evil.

  This year, on the day of Dusshera, our society arranged a short Ramleela where some of the children of our society enacted a few important scenes from Ramayan. I was very happy to watch all our loving children acting in various roles in the Ramleela. We were motivating them with clapping. At the end, Ravan Dahan took place. We all were there in the crowd witnessing the burning of the effigy of Ravan and came to home with a happy heart.

The whole day was very busy and enjoyable.

I hope you all also had a great Dusshera day.

With lots of wishes

Jai Shri Ram

Jai Maa Durga.

Mahalaya 2025

Like every year, 'Mahishasuramardini' aired by All India Radio in the dawn of Mahalaya day paved the way for the most awaited festival of the bengalees, the Durga Puja. 

We woke up at 4:30 am to listen to the special radio programme 'Mahishasuramardini'. 

After the completion of that programme, we switched on the television and tried to watch the various dance drama aired on the occasion of Mahalaya in different channels. Here is the list of the plays aired in various bengali television channels:-

Zee Bangla - Jaago Ma, Jaago Durga

Sony Aath- Asur Naashini Ma, Shakti Rupini Durga (12 noon to 1 pm), Debi'r Dosh Rup (1 pm to 5 pm)

Star Jalsa- Maatri Rupena Sangsthitaa

Sun Bangla - Okaalbodhan

Sangeet Bangla - Chaarpaashe Aalo Hok

Aakash Bangla- Srijan Chattopadhyay was the guest in 'Good Morning Aakash' (musical programme)

DD Bangla -Debashish Bhattacharya and other artists were guest in 'Shokal Shokal' (musical programme)

Our hearts get filled with joy while listening to these songs and witnessing the glory of Ma Durga in so many different ways. All these make us ready to welcome and worship Ma Durga.

With lots of love for all,

Joy Ma Durga 

How Spirituality Helps us in Challenging Periods of Our Life

We often face serious situations in life where our mental and physical strengths get tested. Challenges are thrown in our path by nature to teach us how to deal with them. 

At that time those persons come out with radiance who have unshakable faith in God and confidence in their own self. Those persons who think clearly, act wisely and have patience in their mind, they keep on proceeding forward in their lives. Spiritual knowledge leads us to purity of purpose which help us to sail through though times. 

Surrensership to the Almighty gives us the inner strength to carry on during such adverse situations. 

With lots of best wishes for all,

Jai Shree Krishna. 

Mahakumbh 2025

This year during the months of January and February, we had the opportunity to witness the Mahakumbh which was a remarkable occurance because people will get the chance to experience it again after 144 years. A new generation will experience the same at that time. So devotees were very much excited in taking a dip at the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj. Crores of enthusiasts visited the pious location to experience the magical environment, which were conveyed to us by various television channels newspaper, and social media. Truly we are blessed as a spectator of this phenomenal event. 

Har Har Gange. 

Live commentary of the Opening of Portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham on All India Radio

   Today is a pious day indeed. Today is the birth anniversary of three great saints of our country, Adi Shankaracharya, Shri Ramanujacharya and Sant Surdas. Each of them has contributed immensely towards the spiritual progress of the whole nation. My salutations to the great sages!

   Today is very special for another reason.  Today morning, the door of Kedarnath Dham was opened after six months. It was being shown live in many youtube channels. All India radio was broadcasting live commentary of this event from Kedarnath Dham. Many experts were there in the panel describing various facets of the pious event. I was thrilled to hear the commentary. I was also watching the videos from youtube. A few days ago, the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham also opened with great enthusiasm from the devotees. On Sunday 4th May, the portals of Badrinath Dham will be opened. Akashvani AIR will also broadcast live commentary on that day morning. For normal devotees who can't attend these pious events, social media has been a great boon. We all can feel the positive vibrations of those temples through these broadcasts. Lots of thanks to All India Radio and also to YouTube channels for these endeavours. 

With best wishes for all,

Hari Aum. 

Rathyatra 2024

Rathyatra is a grand festival of Lord Jagannath. This day Lord Jagannath, his brother Lord Balabhadra and their sister Goddess Subhadra come out of the temple and they travel to their Maasi's house. This Rathyatra festival makes the devotees very happy as the Lord comes amongst them leaving the temple for a few days. They try to be a part of the yatra to feel the divine bliss of travelling with the Lord. 

Doordarshan airs live telecast of this pious festival every year. The commentaries are aired in Sanskrit, Hindi and English. The inclusion of Sanskrit as a languag for commentary has been introduced a few years ago, it has been a great experience to listen to Sanskrit commentary for the audience. 

Many years ago, I remember I watched the live telecast of Rathyatra with Bengali commentary in Rupashi Bangla channel where Bholanath Mukherjee and Kanak Manjari Krishna were in charge of the commentary. That programme was also very good. I took many notes from those discussions. That year they also aired live telecast of many more festivals related with Rathyatra like Niladri Bije, Adhara pana, Suna Besha, Bahuda Yatra. All the discussions were full of devotion and many spiritual topics were covered. Every year i remember those pearls of wisdom during Rathyatra festival. 

Last Year Saptahik Bartamaan (a Bengali magazine) published a special issue on the occasion of Rathyatra. They covered many topics in that issue. In the section named 'Banglar Nana Pranter Rath, informations about- Sabarna Roy Chowdhury, Chunimani Dasi, Nilmani Dey, Jadunath Dutta, Ramkanai Adhikary, Gokul Baral Street Jagannath Bari, Blaram Basu, Raja Rajendsra Mullick, and many such Rathyatra celebrations were mentioned. Under the section named 'Nanan Beshe Jagannath' many informations regarding Rathyatra and Jagannath Dev were discussed. After reading that isse, one can get a fair idea about the festival of Rathyatra.

With Lots of Wishes for all and praying for the blessing of Lord Jagannath for all of us.

Jay Jagannath. 

Rain brings solace amidst long summer days

         Severe heatwave condition was going on in many parts of our country since more than one month. We were all feeling the effect of scorching heat which was making normal life unbearable. Everyone was waiting for the monsoon to bring some comfort. At last it rained here recently, uplifting the mood of the people. Not only the children, but the elders were also seen coming out of their houses and enjoying the rain. Frogs were croacking in joy. The open fields filled with water emerged as a visual treat for our parching eyes. It also brought happiness in my mind. I was remembering the song- 'Hridoy amar naache re aajike moyurer moto nache re' and 'Esho neepobone chhayabeethi tole' by Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore. These songs very nicely bring out the feeling of joy while experiencing the rain. We are looking forward to a great monsoon season after such a long and blazing summer. 

With lots of best wishes for all.

Jai Shri Krishna.