Durga Puja, biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, begins with the incarnation (Bodhon) of the Goddess Durga at temples across the country today.
Centring the festival, devotees and artisans are busy taking last moment preparations and tastefully decorating the temples and mandaps across the country, reports the BSS.
Kajal Debnath, president of the central committee of Bangladesh Puja Ujjapan Parishad, told the BSS that a total of 29,074 mandaps have been erected across the country – 223 in the capital alone – this year to celebrate Durga Puja.
The five-day festival starts with “Bodhon” of the Goddess Durga while “Amontron” (Welcome) and “Adhibas” (Dwelling) of the goddess will be held today, marking the Shashthi.
The Mohasaptami puja will be held on Tuesday, Mohashtami and Kumari Puja on Wednesday, and Mohanabami Puja and Bijoya Dashami on Thursday.
As the Mohanabami and Bijoya Dashami this year are on the same day, there would be Darpan Bisharjan of the goddess on Thursday and immersion of the goddess the following day on Friday.
In separate messages, President Md Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leader of the opposition Begum Raushan Ershad conveyed greetings to the members of the country’s Hindu community marking the festival.
Security has been beefed up in the Puja pandals throughout the country including the capital with the deployment of additional squads of Ansars, police, RAB and other law enforcers for peaceful celebration of the festival.