Mahalaya, which marks the beginning of Devi-Paksha and the end of the Pitri-Paksha (the Shradh or the mourning period) is an auspicious day for Bengalis, who celebrate it with much enthusiasm. Notably, Mahalaya is observed seven days before the Durga Puja.
On Saturday, people in numbers thronged in Guwahati's Sukreswar Ghat to perform 'Tarpan' in the name of their ancestors.