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DHAKA, Sept 26, 2024 (BSS) - Five-day Sharadiya Durgotsob, the biggest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community begins on Sunday.

Preparations are afoot for the annual festival at temples and makeshift puja mondops across the country.

On Sunday last, the Hindu community members celebrated Mahalaya inviting Goddess Durga to her paternal home earth from Kailash (heaven) along with her offspring Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartik.

Hindu community believed that Goddess Durga arrives in earth from heaven during the puja. This year she will arrive on an elephant.

As part of last minute preparations for Sharadiya Durgotsab, idol makers and artisans are now passing their busiest time in giving the final touch to idols at puja mandaps. 

Hindus are waiting eagerly as the puja mondops will be filled with devotional chants with the smoke of dhup, beating of drums (dhak-dhol), kansar-mandira and ululation (uludhoni).
 
The first day of the festival will begin with the unveiling of the face of the deity on the day of Maha Shashthi on September 28. 

Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami will be celebrated on the next days while the festival will come to an end with the immersion of the idols on Bijoya Dashami on October 2.

In the capital, Dhakeshwari National Temple, Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramna Kali Mondir, Azimpur Government Colony Puja Mondop, Joykali Mondir and Sri Sri Shanidev Mondir in Shankhari Bazar are all abuzz with decoration and lighting work. These iconic locations are aiming to complete their final preparations.

Durga Puja will also be arranged at Banani, Kalabagan, Siddeshwari Kali Mandir, Jagannath Hall on Dhaka University campus, Khamar Bari at Farmgate, Lalbagh Rishipara, Rajarbagh Kalimandir and old part of Dhaka including Tanti Bazar.
 
Exquisitely crafted and decorated life-size clay idols of the Goddess Durga depicting her slaying the demon Mahishasura are being set up in temples and puja mondops.

Generally, the idols are made diligently and methodically by the artisans to create exquisite pieces of artistry. 

Marking the festival, Hindu community members are also passing busy time in shopping as shopping centers, malls and stores are now crowded with customers. 

Basudeb Dhar, President of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, told BSS that the number of puja mondops across the country has been increased this year.
 
Durga Puja will be celebrated in a total of 33,355 mondops and temples nationwide, with 258 in Dhaka city.
The interim government has allocated Tk 5 crore for Durga Puja this year. 

To ensure the safety and security of the devotees, police, Ansar, BGB, RAB and other law enforcement agencies will be deployed at puja pandals. Volunteers will also assist the law enforcers at each location.
 
A central control room will be established at Dhakeshwari Temple, coordinated by the Mohanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee to monitor the security arrangements.

The Cabinet Division has asked the Home Ministry, Education Ministry, Religious Affairs Ministry and other relevant authorities to closely monitor the law and order situation during the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations and ensure safe and joyous celebration of the festival.