Mahalaya, marking the beginning of the countdown to Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of Bengali Hindus, will be observed across Bangladesh on Saturday with special prayers, Chandi recitations and religious programmes.
Mahalaya marks the transition from Pitri Paksha, dedicated to remembering deceased ancestors, to Devi Paksha, the period associated with Goddess Durga. Hindu devotees observe the occasion by offering tarpan, a ritual of offering water to pay tribute to their departed ancestors.
Various temples and puja mandaps in Dhaka and elsewhere will organise special worship and cultural programmes. At Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital, religious and cultural events will be held early in the morning, said Subhashish Kumar Biswas Sadhan, general secretary of the Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee.
Mahalaya will also be observed at Ramna Kali Temple and several other temples, including Jagannath Hall at Dhaka University. Durga Puja is scheduled to begin with Sasthi Puja on October 16 and conclude with Bijoya Dashami on October 21.
According to Basudeb Dhar, president of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Durga Puja will be organised at 33,851 mandaps across the country this year.