Hindus celebrate festival of Lights
Saturday, 10 November 2007
The Hindus in Bangladesh are celebrating their four-day major religious festival, the Shyama Puja or Kaali Puja starting Friday, reports bdnews24.com.
The first day of the celebrations kicks off with the Dipannwita Parban (Festival of Lights) rites with solemnity and enthusiasm.
The second day, today (Saturday), will be marked by the rituals Annakoot, Mahatsav and distribution of offerings dedication to the deity Kaali.
The third day, tomorrow (Sunday), will be celebrated by observing Bhrattreedwitiya or Bhai Phonta and dance dedication competition.
The devotees will observe the final day parading with goddess Kaali's idol and concluding the rites by immersing the icons in the running waters of rivers.
In Dhaka, the major Puja Mandaps are at the Dhakeshwari National Temple, RamSita temple, Banagram Radha Govinda Jiu Thakur Temple, Ramna Kaali Temple, Thatari Bazaar Shiva Temple and Sutrapur Bihari Lalji Temple.
Besides, devotees were reportedly assembling at other localities such as Shankhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar, Luxmi Bazar, Panni Tola, Postagola and Lalbagh to observe the festival rites.
The Hindu faith teaches that the goddess Shyama (Kaali) visits the earth on this day to punish the evil and nurture the goodness in creatures.
The goddess Kaali is the symbol of struggle for establishing peace, solidarity and cordiality.
Arun Sarkar, the general secretary of the 500-year-old Radha Govinda Jiu Thakur Temple in Old Dhaka, said quoting the almanac that Mother Shyama will arrive this year on the earth as the benevolent mother.
Sadhan Chakravarti, Dhaka University's Jagannath Hall priest said, "The devotees will offer prayers to the goddess for the welfare of all earthly creatures.
The first day of the celebrations kicks off with the Dipannwita Parban (Festival of Lights) rites with solemnity and enthusiasm.
The second day, today (Saturday), will be marked by the rituals Annakoot, Mahatsav and distribution of offerings dedication to the deity Kaali.
The third day, tomorrow (Sunday), will be celebrated by observing Bhrattreedwitiya or Bhai Phonta and dance dedication competition.
The devotees will observe the final day parading with goddess Kaali's idol and concluding the rites by immersing the icons in the running waters of rivers.
In Dhaka, the major Puja Mandaps are at the Dhakeshwari National Temple, RamSita temple, Banagram Radha Govinda Jiu Thakur Temple, Ramna Kaali Temple, Thatari Bazaar Shiva Temple and Sutrapur Bihari Lalji Temple.
Besides, devotees were reportedly assembling at other localities such as Shankhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar, Luxmi Bazar, Panni Tola, Postagola and Lalbagh to observe the festival rites.
The Hindu faith teaches that the goddess Shyama (Kaali) visits the earth on this day to punish the evil and nurture the goodness in creatures.
The goddess Kaali is the symbol of struggle for establishing peace, solidarity and cordiality.
Arun Sarkar, the general secretary of the 500-year-old Radha Govinda Jiu Thakur Temple in Old Dhaka, said quoting the almanac that Mother Shyama will arrive this year on the earth as the benevolent mother.
Sadhan Chakravarti, Dhaka University's Jagannath Hall priest said, "The devotees will offer prayers to the goddess for the welfare of all earthly creatures.