The sound of traditional drums, conch shells and cymbals, accompanied by sacred chants and ululations, marked the celebration of Maha Shashthi across Bangladesh on Friday, ushering in the country’s largest religious festival for Bengali Hindus. Today, Saturday, devotees are observing Maha Saptami with prayers and rituals at temples and temporary worship pavilions across the country.
This year, Maha Saptami is being observed over two days. On the first day, the rituals, including the entry and installation of the Nabapatrika, the commencement of Saptami rites and the prescribed Maha Saptami worship, are scheduled to take place between 7.39am and 9.57am. The second day of the observance will be held on Sunday.
Rituals and prayers at Dhakeshwari Temple
At the Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital, the Maha Shashthi rituals began at 9am on Friday beneath a bel tree in the temple’s fairground area. The surroundings were decorated with flowers, while offerings and ritual items were carefully arranged for the ceremony.
Fruits, curd, mango leaves, bel leaves, sacred grass and flowers were placed at the site. Lamps were lit, and incense filled the air as priests took their seats and began chanting sacred mantras.
The rhythmic beats of dhak drums, the sound of conch shells, bells and traditional cymbals accompanied the prayers. Devotees added to the festive atmosphere with ululations, a customary expression of joy and devotion during Hindu religious ceremonies.
The priests also performed arati, a ritual involving the offering of light to the deity. The Shashthi Kalparambha and the prescribed Shashthi worship were completed by 9.57am, after which holy water was sprinkled among the devotees as a blessing.
Following the ceremony, worshippers gathered at the temple’s Durga Puja pavilion to offer anjali, or floral offerings, and pray for the well-being of their families and communities.
During the prayer service, priest Dharmadas Chattopadhyay expressed hopes for peace and prosperity for all, calling for the removal of misfortune and the establishment of harmony in every household.
Goddess Durga formally welcomed
The evening programme on Friday included the traditional invocation and Adhibas rituals, through which Goddess Durga is ceremonially welcomed and her presence established for the worship.
According to Hindu mythology, Durga visits the mortal world from Mount Kailash, her celestial abode, as a daughter returning to her parental home. Her annual arrival symbolises the triumph of divine power over evil.
Religious narratives describe how the gods, defeated by demonic forces and driven from heaven, united their powers to create Goddess Durga. She emerged as a manifestation of their combined energy to defeat the forces of evil and restore order.
For devotees, Durga Puja is not only an occasion for worship but also a celebration of the victory of good over evil. The festival carries messages of courage, righteousness, peace and the hope for a better world.
According to traditional beliefs, Goddess Durga has arrived this year riding a horse and will depart by boat. In Hindu religious traditions, the deity’s mode of arrival and departure is associated with symbolic interpretations and customary beliefs.
Ashtami, Navami and Dashami ahead
The festival will continue with several important religious observances in the coming days. Maha Ashtami will be celebrated on Monday, followed by Maha Navami on Tuesday. Vijayadashami, which marks the conclusion of the festival and the immersion of Durga idols, will take place on Wednesday.
Maha Ashtami is one of the most significant days of Durga Puja, drawing devotees for special prayers and anjali. Maha Navami is marked by further worship and religious rituals, while Vijayadashami brings the festival to a close with the ceremonial farewell to the goddess.
The immersion of the idols symbolises Durga’s return to her celestial home. The day is also associated with greetings, family gatherings and the exchange of good wishes among relatives, friends and members of the wider community.
More than 33,000 puja venues across Bangladesh
According to the Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council and the Metropolitan Universal Puja Committee, Durga Puja is being organised at 33,851 venues across the country this year. Of these, 258 are located within Dhaka metropolitan area.
From major cities to rural communities, temples and temporary pavilions have been decorated with idols, lights and colourful displays to mark the occasion. Devotees are gathering to participate in prayers, rituals and other religious activities throughout the festival.
Although Durga Puja is the principal religious festival of the Hindu community, its celebrations also contribute to Bangladesh’s wider cultural landscape. The festivities often bring together people from different communities, reflecting traditions of social interaction and communal harmony.
For many devotees, the days of Durga Puja are an opportunity to renew their spiritual commitments while spending time with family and friends. As Maha Saptami begins, the celebrations are set to continue across the country until the final rituals of Vijayadashami and the immersion of the goddess’s idols on Wednesday.
