Durga Puja 2020: Will Indians wake up at 4 am, tune into radio & listen to 'Mahisasurmardini'?

It is a a ritual that’s as much fun as it’s challenging.

By ET Bureau | Updated: Sep 17, 2020, 10.37 AM IST

As a popular prime ministerial Sunday radio show attests, having a fixed time and place (read: channel) to tune in to increases a programme’s listenership.

‘The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.’ Attributed to Albert Einstein, patron saint of space-time, but written by sci-fi writer Ray Cummings in a 1921 story, this is the basis for all itineraries and timetables. From TV schedules and departure-arrival times, to banging of pots and pans during a pandemic, choosing a fixed moment to experience a shared event is a ritual based on practicality.

One such annual ritual since the 1930s has been waking up at 4 am to turn on the radio and listen to the 90-minute programme ‘Mahisasurmardini’ (Slaying of Mahishasur) on the auspicious day of Mahalaya ushering Durga Puja. But what happens in this day and age when one has the luxury of hearing it on YouTube or other ‘non-live’ media any time of the day?

As a popular prime ministerial Sunday radio show attests, having a fixed time and place (read: channel) to tune in to increases a programme’s listenership and brand value. Catching Birendra Krishna Bhadra’s Chandipath (telling of the Goddess Chandi’s adventures) at pre-dawn is, like counting down New Year, fun by itself. So however easily available ‘Mahisasurmardini’ may be across space-time, making it to the Bengali AIR frequency at the wee hours tomorrow remains a ritual that’s as much fun as it’s challenging.

'Kahaani', 'Parineeta', & Other Bollywood Movies That Brought Out The Essence Of Durga Puja

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The nine-days of Navratri (in parts of North India) and Durga Puja (in East India) are celebrated with much fervour. The festivities are marked by delicious food, the fragrance of shiuli flowers, and pandal-hopping.

It is thus inevitable that the festival has made its way to the silver screen over the years. Here's a look at some movies that showcase the grandeur of Durga Puja.