BPA organizes Chandipath and devotional music to usher in autumn in Sydney

A cultural evening to mark Mahalaya was organised by the Bangladesh Puja Association (BPA), Australia, at the Telopia Dundas Community Centre in Sydney. The event, held at 21 Start Street on Saturday (September 20), marked the official start of the autumn festival of the expatriate Bengali Hindu community with Chandipath, devotional music and spiritual performances.

The main attraction of the program was the Chandipath series, where the sound of conch shells, uludhwani and the melody of the Agamoni songs combined to create a deep spiritual atmosphere. The sound of Birendra Krishna Bhadra's voice and the familiar recitation of 'Mahishasuramardini' seemed to return to the stage as if the memorable moment of the morning All India Radio had returned.

Chandipath and music were performed by about two dozen artists including Jyoti Biswas, Sumita De, Janmejoy Roy, whose dedicated practice and artistic presentation combined to create an attentive listening experience for the audience. The program became heartwarming with the combination of singing style, melody and drama.

The artistic direction and overall supervision of the event were provided by BPA's Cultural Secretary, Rakhi Roy (Babli). Under her mentorship and organizational skills, the young artists confidently performed on stage. Along with the Chandipath, devotional music and selected hymns were performed, which complemented the solemnity of the Chandipath with the sweetness of the music.

The program began with a brief speech highlighting the significance of Mahalaya, the symbolic interpretation of the arrival and departure of Goddess Durga, and the auspicious sign of 'arrival in the yard, departure in the swing'. The presenters' continuous explanations highlighted the religious, social, and cultural significance of Mahalaya and Devi Paksha, creating a deep interest and understanding of the festival among the younger generation.