Maha Saptami today

The five-day ‘Sharadiyo Durgotsav’, the biggest religious festival of Bengali Hindu community, began Monday with Sashthi Puja and it will come to an end with the immersion of Goddess Durga idols on October 15, in rivers and water bodies near temples across the country.

Maha Sashthi Puja was celebrated at temples across the country.

Sashthi Puja began with recitation of verses from the Holy Chandi, the blowing of conch shells (Shankha), and the beating of dhak-dhols (drums) in the temples, including the Dhakeswari temple.

Participation was made limited at the mandaps as everyone was given entry into the mandap after checking the temperature while arrangements have been made for maintaining social distancing.

No one was allowed to enter the mandap area without a mask.

Maha Saptami puja will be performed today, Maha Ashtami, Kumari Puja and Sandhi Puja on Wednesday and Maha Nabami Puja on Thursday.

Various religious ceremonies have been shortened this year as per the instructions to avoid the infection of global pandemic Covid-19.

The Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad has termed this year's Durgotsav only as the 'Durga Puja' as the issues related to the festival would be avoided.

Leaders of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad urged all to strictly maintain the health guidelines and directives issued by the government in the wake of the global pandemic COVID-19 during the Durga Puja celebration.

According to the instructions, one has to maintain health guidelines, including social distancing, using hand sanitizer and wearing mask while entering the puja mandap.

Hand washing facilities, sanitizers and thermal scanner should be ensured at the entry points of puja mandaps. This year, the Durga Puja has been arranged at a total of 32,118 mandaps across the country, including 128 in Dhaka city.

Security has been beefed up in all Puja pandals throughout the country, including the capital, with the deployment of additional squads of Ansars, police, RAB and other law enforcers for peaceful celebration of the festival.