Durga Puja in Dhaka Bangladesh

Durga Puja to spark off as Eid winds down
Sat, Oct 4th, 2008 2:32 pm BdST
Dhaka, Oct 4 (bdnews24.com)—Durga Puja, the largest religious festival for Hindus in Bangladesh, begins Sunday as Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, the major religious event for Muslims, wind down. The five-day festivities are formally launched with 'Devi Bodhon', when the goddess Durga, wife of Shiva, is invited to visit earth. Durga Puja is officially recognised as a government holiday, with festivals organised in every district centre, as well as in the thanas and villages. In 2007, over 20,000 separate Puja festivals were held in Bangladesh. Puja preparations over the weekend included erecting pavilions or pandals for worship, and artists giving the final decorating touches to idols of the goddess Durga in Old Dhaka among many other places in the capital and countrywide. Spectacular pandals have been erected in a line from Shakaribazar to Tatibazar and Laxmibazar in the old city. Puja preparations were also completed over the weekend in the festival hotspots of Dhakeswari and Ramna Kali temples as well as Dhaka University's Jagannath Hall. The design and decoration of the major pandals and idols in Dhaka is traditionally done by art and architecture students in the city. Durga Puja, one of the most important events in the Bengali Hindu calendar, sees a series of rituals over the five days to mark welcome Durga to earth. The Puja is more than just a religious festival, however, it is a cultural event in Bangladesh and West Bengal. Visiting pandals with friends and family, meeting others and sampling nearby food stalls are a major part of the festivities. Eden College, Banani playground, Sri Sri Ram Sita Temple in the old city, Shiva Temple in Thatari Bazar, Bhagabati Temple, Pranab Moth, Northbruck Hall Jamidar Bari, Banagram Tarun Sangsad, North and South Mesindi, Narendra Basak Lane, Madan Mohon Temple in Hamanto Das Lane, Rupchan Das Lane, Sri Sri Jamuna Mi Ashram and Siddheswari Kali Temple are among the major festival spots of Durga Puja this year. bdnews24.com/pc/qh/jk/fwc/rah/1422hours
source:http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=64181&cid=2

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