Mahalaya - 2

[Guest guest]

The traditional six day countdown to Mahasaptami

starts from Mahalaya. But this year, the wait between

the two tithis is going to be a long one. <br> <br>

<br>While Mahalaya 2001 falls on 17th September, Saptami

arrives only on October 23rd. The reason is that the

intervening lunar month is "malamash", unfit for the Pujas to

take place. A month which has two new moons (amavasya)

is called a "malamash", when no auspicious rites can

be performed. The month of Ashwin is "malamash".

Pitri-tarpan (paying homage to the departed souls) and other

rites slated for Mahalaya will take place as usual on

the morning of September 17th, the final day of

Bhadra. But "Malamash" falls on the night of Mahalaya and

continues till the night of October 16th. So the Pujas

cannot take place in the interim period and all rites of

Ashwin will get deferred to Kartik.<br> <br>(Ashwin and

Kartik are two months in the Hindu Calendar. The first

month is Baishak (also called Vaishak) and starts

around 15 the April(Starts in April and end in May). The

other months are Jyesta (or Jyosti) - May/June, Aashar

(or Aashada) - June/July, Shravan - July/August,

Aashvin -August/Septembe), Bhadra - September/October,

Kartik - October/November, Agrahayan -

November/December, Pusha (or Pousha)- December/January, Maagh -

January/February, Falgun - February/March, Chaitra - March/April).