Agomoni - Song of Durga's Homecoming (Poet: Kamalakanta Bhattacharya)

Durga Puja is round the corner. Durga may be the mother of the universe, but for her own mother, she is darling Uma. At this time of year, Uma/ Gouri, i.e., Parvati, visits her mother, Menaka, queen of the mountains and wife of Himalaya. Menaka longs for this time all year. Agomoni ("arrival") songs in Bangla convey the pain of Menaka missing Parvati or the joy of Parvati's arrival. In this Agomoni song of Kamalakanta Bhattacharya (c.1769-1821) – "Kobe Jabe Bolo Giriraj Gourire Anite" – Menaka entreats her husband, the mountain king, to fetch Parvati from Shiva's place, saying: "You are but a mountain, a stone. What do you know of a mother's heart? Tell me, when are you going to bring Gouri home?"