Maha Saptami is being celebrated today (October 21) by the Hindu community of the country on the second day of the five-day Durga Puja, marking the Goddess’s victory over demon Mahishashur.
The devotees will sing hymns and offer flowers seeking the blessings of Durga, the saviour of humanity from all evils.
The victory of Goddess Durga, daughter of the majestic Himalayas, over the devil symbolises the triumph of good over evil.
The Maha Sasthi was celebrated on Friday, the first day of the biggest religious festival of Bengali Hindus, with the mandaps wearing festive looks and getting reverberated with the sounds of dhaak (drums), brass instruments, and conches amidst hymns by Brahmins.
Many people of the Hindu community gathered around the puja mandaps in the evening to receive deity Durga and her children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh.
On the third day of Maha Ashtami on October 22, different rituals including offering of Anjali and Kumari Puja will be held in the morning and Sandhi Puja in the late afternoon or in the evening.
Maha Nabami Puja will be held on the fourth day on October 23. Dunuchi Nach takes place on that day. This is one of the most exciting rituals of the Durga Puja.
On the final day of Bijaya Dashami, puja will be offered in the morning and Darpan Bisharjan will also be held.
The five-day festival will come to an end with immersion of idols of goddess Durga and her offspring - Ganesha, Karitik, Laxmi and Saraswati – and devotees will receive Shantijol (sacred water from where deities are immersed) on that day of Bijoya Dashami.
On the occasion, the government has taken adequate security measures at the mandaps, said law enforcers. Puja organisers also expressed their satisfaction over security arrangements.
In the capital Dhaka, the main puja mandaps are at Dhakeshwari National Temple, Ramkrishna Mission and Math, Kalabagan, Banani, Shakhari Bazar and Ramna Kali Mandir.
In major divisional cities including port city Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna and Sylhet and district towns including Faridpur, Dinajpur, Jashore, Kushtia, Satkhira, also witness massive celebration of Durga Puja.
Durga Puja will be celebrated at 32,408 mandaps across the country this year including 245 in the capital, according to Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad (BPUP).
BDST: 0904 HRS, OCT 21, 2023
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