Durga Puja, the biggest festival of Bengali Hindus, has come to an end on Wednesday with the immersion of Goddess Durga’s idols across the country amid tight security. According to Hindu belief, the goddess Durga has returned to her husband's house at Kailash in Devaloy (heaven) through immersion. In the capital, thousands of people thronged the Buriganga River in the city’s Bosila area today to observe the final phase of the festival -- immersion of the goddess. Hindu devotees from different parts of the city came to the ghat in trucks carrying idols while singing hymns to Durga with the sounds of musical instruments such as ‘Shankha’, ‘Khol’, ‘Dhak’. Devotees were seen bidding farewell to the mother deity and her children – Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh – through the immersion of their idols, wishing Durga’s return next year. In the port city, idol immersion was held at Patenga Sea Beach, Karnaphuli River, Firingi Bazar and Salimpur Beach area at Kalurghat and Sitakunda. Read: Kolkata artists paint, mold idols for Durga Puja Durga Puja celebrations have been organised at 282 places in the Chattogram metropolitan area. Besides, the leaders of Chattogram Puja Udjapon Parishad said Durga Puja has been celebrated in 15 upazilas of the district in a total of 2,062 mandaps. Visitors have been thronging Puja mandaps to celebrate Bijoya Dashami, the last day of the festival, recite the mantras, offer flowers to the goddess Durga and pray for her blessings since morning. On Bijoya Dashami, Hindu families visit each other.  As part of the main rituals of Dashami Puja celebrations, female devotees offered vermilion at the feet of Durga at mandaps and temples across the city, which is part of the traditional ‘Shidur Khela’. The ritual follows Hindu women putting vermilion on each other, wishing for prosperity in lives, as a tribute to the power of Goddess Durga. Also read: No security lapses for Durga Puja: Rab DG

Durga puja, the largest religious festival of the minority Hindus, will culminate in Bangladesh, with the immersion of idols on Wednesday evening. On the last day of the puja, devotees are thronging mandaps in Dhaka and elsewhere across the country for Bijoya Dashami, the last day of the grand festival, to celebrate the triumph of the Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. On this day, families visit each other and exchange sweetmeat. Married Hindu women put vermilion on each other's forehead on the occasion. In Bangladesh this year, the religious festival is being celebrated at some 32,168 puja mandaps across the country, including 241 in Dhaka. In the capital, thousands of people are set to throng the Buriganga on Wednesday to observe the final phase of the festival -- the immersion of the Goddess Durga. Devotees in their tearful eyes will bid farewell to the mother deity and her children – Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh – as the idols will be immersed, wishing the Goddess Durga’s return next year. Meanwhile, there will be strict security measures in place so that Durga puja ends peacefully. The five-day festival started on October  with the incarnation (Bodhon) of the Goddess Durga marking Sashthi. Durga Puja, the annual Hindu festival also known as Sharadiya (autumnal) Durga Utsab, is the worship of "Shakti" (divine force) embodied in the Goddess Durga. It symbolises the battle between good and evil where the dark forces eventually succumb to the divine. Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid has greeted the members of the country's Hindu community on the occasion. In his message, President Hamid said the main religious festival of the Bengali Hindu community is Durga Puja. "The country’s Hindu community has been celebrating the puja amid huge enthusiasm and festivity with different rituals since ancient times."

The five-day Durga Puja, the largest festival of the Hindu community, comes to an end Wednesday with the solemn immersion of the Goddess Durga across the country. And after the hit that Bangladesh’s secular credentials, or its reputation for communal harmony, took during the same festival last year - with temples and Puja mandaps attacked in multiple districts, all triggered by a deliberate act of provocation in Cumilla - it is safe to say the entire country will feel relieved that this year’s Durga Puja will have passed without much incident. Fingers crossed of course, for the last 24 hours. Devotees will throng Puja mandaps to celebrate Bijoya Dashami, the last day of the festival, recite the mantras, offer flowers to the goddess Durga (pushpanjali) and pray for her blessings. The mandaps across the country have been decorated with beautiful idols, showcasing the goddess in all her glory. Bijoya Dashami is the special ceremony of reaffirming peace and good relations among people. On this day, families visit each other to share sweetmeats. Married Hindu women put vermilion on each other's foreheads on the occasion. Read: No security lapses for Durga Puja: Rab DG In Bangladesh this year, the religious festival is being celebrated at some 32,168 puja mandaps spread throughout the country, including 241 in capital Dhaka. In the capital, thousands of people are set to throng the Buriganga tomorrow to observe the final phase of the festival -- the immersion of the goddess Durga signifying her return to Kailash. Devotees in their tearful eyes will bid farewell to the mother deity and her children – Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh – through the immersion of their idols in the water wishing Durga’s return next year. Meanwhile, there will be strict security measures in place so that Durga Puja ends peacefully. President Abdul Hamid has issued a message greeting the members of the country's Hindu community on the occasion. In his message, President Hamid said the main religious festival of the Bengali Hindu community is Durga Puja. The country’s Hindu community has been celebrating the puja amid huge enthusiasm and festivity with different rituals since ancient times. Also read: Durga puja: A festival that unites Bangladesh! Durga Puja is not just a religious festival, but also a social one, he added. “Communal harmony is the eternal tradition of Bengalis. This tradition must be carried forward in our overall progress together,” he urged all. The five-day festival started on October 1 with the incarnation (Bodhon) of the Goddess Durga marking Sashthi. Durga Puja, the annual Hindu festival also known as Sharadaya (autumnal) Durgotsob, is the worship of "Shakti" [divine force] embodied in goddess Durga. It symbolises the battle between good and evil where the dark forces eventually succumb to the divine.   Close to 8 percent of Bangladesh’s more than 160 million people are Hindu.

The five-day Durga Puja, the biggest Hindu festival, will come to an end Friday with solemn immersion of the Goddess Durga across the country. Devotees will throng Puja mandaps to celebrate Bijoya Dashami, the last day of the festival, recite the mantras, offer flowers to the goddess Durga (pushpanjali) and pray for her blessings. The mandaps across the country have been decorated with beautiful idols, showcasing the goddess in all her glory. BijoyaDashami is the special ceremony of reaffirming peace and good relations among people. Read: Hasina calls for hunting down culprits of Cumilla incident On this day, families visit each other to share sweetmeats. Married Hindu women put vermilion on each other's forehead on the occasion. This year, the religious festival is being celebrated at some 32,118 puja mandaps throughout the country, including the capital. In the capital, thousands of people are set to throng the Buriganga tomorrow to observe the final phase of the festival -- the immersion of the goddess Durga. Devotees in their tearful eyes will bid farewell to the mother deity and her children – Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh – through the immersion of their idols in the water wishing Durga’s return next year. Also read: Cumilla incident: DIG says offenders to be hunted down Meanwhile, there will be strict security measures in place so that Durga Puja ends peacefully.The five-day festival started on October 11 with the incarnation (Bodhon) of the Goddess Durga marking Sashthi. Durga Puja, the annual Hindu festival also known as Sharadiya (autumnal) DurgaUtsab, is the worship of "Shakti" [divine force] embodied in goddess Durga. It symbolises the battle between good and evil where the dark forces eventually succumb to the divine.

Sharadiya Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, ended on Monday with the immersion of idols of goddess Durga and her children on the fifth day of celebration.

Dhaka, Oct 8 (UNB) - The five-day Durga Puja, the greatest of all Hindu festivals, will come to an end on Tuesday with solemn immersion of the Goddess Durga in the capital and elsewhere in the country.