Monali and Dipen, newlyweds, arrived at Pandu Ghat in Guwahati after an early morning stroll to see the ‘Pitri-Tarpan’ rites that take place on the bank of the great Brahmaputra on the day of ‘Mahalaya.’ The occasion marks the completion of ‘Pretapakhya’ and the start of “Devipakhya,” or Bengali Hindus’ Durga Puja fortnight.

However, what started off as a simple stroll for Dipen Mandal and his wife among the blossoming catkins along the bank turned into a memorable event for the couple.

“We were observing the mass ‘Pitri Tarpan’, a little far from the actual site where people are performing the rituals for their ancestors. Suddenly I noticed a hue and cry of people indicating a spot in the water at a distance from the bank,” said Dipen.

“While I was getting to the water, the place was not so deep. Suddenly the mud slid over my feet and I found that the water was much deeper, which I could not recognise and I sank,” expressed Debaditya Purkayastha, after becoming stable.

On the day of Mahalaya on Wednesday, Pandu Ghat saw a large audience attend the river bank, exactly as it did in the pre-Covid19 years. Mahalaya announces the start of Bengali Hindus’ Durgotsav 2021.

The return of Rina Purkayastha’s son, who perished while conducting the ‘Pitri-tarpan’ ceremonies, has a different meaning for her. Dipen and the ancient family priest Hiralal Bhattacharjee arrived as saviours, while others were caught off guard by the sight of a drowning man and were unable to save him.

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