East Midnapore (West Bengal) [India], September 21 (ANI): Leader of Opposition in West Bengal and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of trying to divide Hindus by highlighting differences among them.

Speaking to the reporters, Suvendu Adhikari said, 'She is attempting to break Hindus. She never goes to Muslims and says that you speak Urdu or you speak Bengali. They also speak different languages. Some Muslims speak Urdu, and some others speak Bengali. Mamata Banerjee doesn't do that. She only goes to Hindus and says that you are Bengali Hindu, Bihari Hindu and Gujarati Hindu. She is dividing Hindus and uniting Muslims. This time, Hindus will not be misled.'

Adhikari was in East Midnapore to participate in Mahalaya celebrations, where more than 1,000 women blew conch shells to mark the beginning of Devi Paksha.

'Devi Paksha begins today. More than 1000 women gathered here and welcomed Mahalaya by blowing conch shells,' he said.

Mahalaya is celebrated at the end of the month of Shradh (as per the Hindu lunar calendar) or Pitru Paksha, 16 days during which Hindus pay homage to their ancestors. Amavasya falls every month, but the Purattasi Mahalaya Ammavasai holds a special significance for the devotees.

On the occasion, a large number of devotees gathered in West Bengal's Kolkata for a holy dip in the Ganga. They offered prayers to their forefathers and for departed family members on this Amavasya, marking the solemn ritual with devotion.

Mahalaya signifies the mythical departure of the goddess from the Himalayas to her paternal home. It is from this day that the Durga Puja fever begins. Durga Puja festivities peak on the seventh day after Mahalaya and end on the tenth day of Dashami or Dussehra.

It is a deeply-held belief that with fast and Pithur Karma Puja performed on the day of Mahalaya Amavasya, ancestors and the departed souls in a family will find peace, and they will be happy and wish their family a good life. (ANI)