Mahishasurmardini: The Timeless Radio Ritual That Awakens Bengalis On Mahalaya

Long before the sun streaks across Bengal’s skies on Mahalaya, the conch shell sounds, and a familiar baritone unfurls like an invocation. “Ashwiner sharad praate…”—words so deeply etched in collective memory that they feel more lived than heard. What follows is not just a programme on the radio but the official overture to Durga Puja. Across Bengal, across the diaspora, families gather in half-dark rooms, some still wrapped in shawls, to listen. The moment marks the beginning of Devi Paksha, the celestial fortnight that culminates in the great autumnal festival of Durga.

The magic lies in Mahishasurmardini, the 90-minute audio epic broadcast by All India Radio. It melds Sanskrit verses from the Devi Mahatmya with devotional Bengali songs, orchestral passages and a powerful narration of the Goddess’ creation and her battle with Mahishasura, the buffalo demon. While the form is ancient, the voice that carries it into dawn belongs to one man—Birendra Krishna Bhadra. His narration has become synonymous with the ritual, elevating the broadcast from a cultural production into something close to sacred sound.

Genesis Of The Dawn Overture

The roots of Mahishasurmardini stretch back to the 1930s. In 1931, a brainstorming session at All India Radio’s Calcutta station gave shape to the programme. Bani Kumar wrote the script, Pankaj Kumar Mullick handled the musical arrangements, and Bhadra stepped into the narrator’s role. What emerged was a dramatic composition that straddled traditions—part devotional recital, part musical oratorio—designed for daybreak listening on Mahalaya. The first official Mahishasurmardini broadcast came in 1937, and from then on, the connection was unbroken.

In its early decades, the programme was always live. Musicians and singers would arrive at AIR Kolkata before dawn, bathed and dressed in ritual whites and reds, rehearsing one last time before stepping into the studio. At exactly four in the morning, the conch would sound, a Sanskrit chorus would rise, and Bhadra’s baritone would launch into verses that heralded the Goddess’ descent to Earth. These performances, with their raw immediacy, carried an aura that technology only partly captured when the programme shifted to a pre-recorded format in the 1960s.

Voices Behind The Dawn Soundscape

Birendra Krishna Bhadra, born on August 4, 1905 in north Calcutta, came from a scholarly family; his father, Kali Krishna Bhadra, was a linguist fluent in fourteen languages. Educated at Scottish Church College, Bhadra gravitated toward theatre and radio in the 1930s, writing and directing plays while contributing to All India Radio. Though his day job was unassuming, his voice immortalised him as the soul of Mahishasurmardini. First aired in 1931 and formally on Mahalaya in 1937, the programme combined Bani Kumar’s script, Pankaj Kumar Mullick’s music, and Bhadra’s commanding narration, creating a ritual that has spanned generations. Bhadra lived modestly after retiring in 1970 and passed away on November 3, 1991.

Among the singers who lent their voices to this timeless broadcast was Pratima Bandopadhyay, born in 1934, who started recording as a teenager and became known for her soulful Bengali songs, passing away in 2004. Dwijen Mukhopadhyay (1927–2018) contributed for decades to both film and non-film music, while Shyamal Mitra brought emotional depth and classical training to the devotional pieces. Other distinguished artists—Arati Mukhopadhyay, Manabendra Mukhopadhyay, Supriti Ghosh, Utpala Sen, and Tarun Bandopadhyay—brought their unique voices and styles, which, guided by Mullick’s masterful direction, blended effortlessly with Bhadra’s narration. Together, they created the rich, layered soundscape of Mahishasurmardini, cementing its place as a cherished cultural touchstone for Bengalis everywhere.

Upheavals And Endurance

But Mahishasurmardini has also seen its share of turbulence. In 1976, AIR attempted a bold experiment, replacing the familiar rendition with a new version narrated by superstar Uttam Kumar, featuring music by Hemanta Mukherjee and songs by Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle (a programme titled Durga Durgatiharini). The backlash was immediate and fierce. Listeners who considered Bhadra’s voice inseparable from Mahalaya rose in protest. Within a year, the authorities had no choice but to restore the original, with then information minister L K Advani issuing a public apology. The incident proved just how deeply the broadcast was woven into Bengal’s cultural identity.

Even today, surprises occasionally resurface. In 2022, listeners were greeted with a rediscovered 1962 recording, slightly different from the familiar version—proof of how rich the archive remains. Still, it is the canonical Bhadra narration, accompanied by the voices of Pratima Bandopadhyay, Dwijen Mukhopadhyay, Supriti Ghosh, Shyamal Mitra and others, that holds its place as the definitive soundtrack of Mahalaya.

What makes Mahishasurmardini endure is its ability to transcend meaning. Even those who cannot follow every Sanskrit verse feel its power—the cadence of the chants, the swell of the music, the narrative arc of the Goddess rising to battle evil. It is theatre for the ear, yet something far more intimate: a call to wakefulness, a reminder that the season of festivity has arrived.

Over nine decades since its creation, Mahishasurmardini continues to stitch generations together. Grandparents who once tuned in on a crackling radio now share the same ritual with grandchildren on digital platforms. Whether in Kolkata, New Jersey or Singapore, Bengalis wake at 4 a.m. on Mahalaya, pressing play to let Bhadra’s timeless voice cut through the quiet.

Each year, it renews the rhythm of autumn, carrying with it the timeless triumph of light over darkness.

This year, Mahalaya falls on September 21. And as the conch sounds at dawn on All India Radio, Bengal knows Durga Puja has truly begun.

FAQs

1. What is Mahishasurmardini?
   Mahishasurmardini is a 90-minute radio program broadcast by All India Radio on Mahalaya, combining Sanskrit verses from the Devi Mahatmya, devotional Bengali songs, orchestral music, and narration by Birendra Krishna Bhadra. It marks the beginning of Durga Puja festivities.

2. When is Mahishasurmardini broadcast?
   It is traditionally aired at 4 AM on Mahalaya, which in 2025 falls on September 21. The program is listened to by Bengalis across India and the diaspora as the official start of the Durga Puja season.

3. Who narrates Mahishasurmardini?
   The iconic narration is by Birendra Krishna Bhadra, whose baritone voice has become synonymous with the program since its first official broadcast in 1937.

4. Where can I listen to Mahishasurmardini today?
   Apart from All India Radio, Mahishasurmardini is now available on digital platforms, mobile apps, and streaming services, allowing Bengalis worldwide to participate in the ritual.

5. Why is Mahishasurmardini so important in Bengali culture?
   It is considered a cultural and spiritual ritual that signals the start of Devi Paksha and Durga Puja. Its music, chants, and narration evoke devotion, nostalgia, and community, making it an enduring part of Bengali heritage.