Today is Mahalaya, the first day of the Devi Paksha, the begining of Bengali festival Durga Pooja. Large number of people performed Tarpan on Tuesday on the banks of rivers in memory of their departed ancestors. Goddess Durga is believed to start from her abode in Mt. Kailash along with her four children on her way to her ancestral home. AIR correspondent reports, clay modelers are working round the clock to give finishing touches to idols of the goddess for Durga Pooja.