The Hindu community in Bangladesh is observing Mahalaya, a ritual that marks the beginning of their biggest annual religious festival, Durga Puja.
Temples across Dhaka and elsewhere arranged worship services to mark the occasion on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com.
Mahalaya is an invitation to the goddess Durga to her parental home. This is done through the chanting of psalms and the singing of devotional songs.
The ceremony marks the beginning of Devi-Paksha and the end of Pitri-Paksha. The devotees pray and offer food for the salvation of their ancestors’ souls during a portion of the Pitri-Paksha, which is called ‘Tarpan’.
Hindus in Bangladesh celebrate Mahalaya, a prelude to Durga Puja festivities
A special ceremony was organised at Dhakeshwari National Temple to commemorate Mahalaya, said Ramen Mondal, general secretary of the Sarbojanin Puja Committee.
Peter Haas, US ambassador to Bangladesh, and Dr Binoy George, acting Indian high commissioner, were among the dignitaries who attended the ceremony at Dhakeshwari Temple, according to Ramen.
The Mahalaya rituals were also performed at other places of worship in Dhaka, including Shamibag and Banani.
According to Hindu scriptures, Mahalaya, Bodhon and Sandhi Puja are the three chapters of Durga Puja.
The main chapter of the puja will begin on Oct 1. It is scheduled to end on Oct 5 with the immersion of the goddess's idol.
This year, Durga Puja will be celebrated at 32,168 venues -- 50 more than last year -- across Bangladesh. As many as 241 marquees are being set up in Dhaka city for the festivities.