The celebration of this year's Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindus, ended Friday with devotees bidding farewell to the Goddess Durga and her four children.
The five-day long festival came to an end through the celebration of Vijaya Dashami, in which the main ritual is the immersion of Durga idols in rivers.
Thousands of devotees, young and old, men and women, thronged the banks of the Buriganga for the ritual.
They joined hands to lower the idols into the water amid the beating of drums, prayers and chanting of hymns.
A tinge of sadness filled the air but the devotees consoled themselves that Durga would return again next year.
According to Hindu belief, the deity, along with her children, sets on a journey for Kailash, her husband's abode, on Dashami.
Durga puja is the worship of “Shakti” or divine power embodied in Devi Durga symbolising the battle between good and evil where the dark forces eventually succumb to the divine forces.
Hindus across the country celebrated on Thursday the Bijoya Dashami amid festivity and enthusiasm by visiting their relatives' homes to share sweetmeats when married Hindu women put vermilion on each other's forehead on the occasion.
This year, Maha Navami was also celebrated on Thursday. The festival began on October 19 with "Bodhan", "Amontran" and "Adhibas" of Goddess Durga and "Ghatasthapan" on "Shasthi Tithi".
Mahasaptami Puja was offered on Tuesday while Mahastami and Kumari Puja on Wednesday.
The celebration of this year's Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindus, ended Friday as devotees bade farewell to the Goddess Durga and her four children.
The five-day long festival came to an end through the celebration of Vijaya Dashami, in which the main ritual is the immersion of Durga statues in rivers.
- See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2015/oct/23/durga-puja-ends-devi-emersion#sthash.GKB8eQDp.dpuf