Hindus celebrate Mahadashami Puja, the last day of five-day long Durga Puja, at the gaily-decorated Puja Mandaps across the country at 9.57am today.

Bijoya Dashami is the special ritual to reaffirm peace and good relations among people. During the Dasami festivity, families visit each other to share sweets. Married women will put vermilion (Sindur) on each other's forehead on the eve of Bijoya Dashami.

Mahadashami is the day when Goddess Durga accompanied with her children--- Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh-- sets for Kailash, her husband's abode.

Mahalaya, the first day of the festivities, is followed by a series of unique rituals on days of Sashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Dashami or Bijoya Dashami.

Festivities get intense in the days of Mahasaptami, Mahashtami and Mahanabami culminating in Bijoya Dashami that marks the end of Durga Puja.

Today in processions idols of Duga will be taken for immersion in the river. Devout Hindus will be waiting eagerly to see her again next year.

Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad has set a schedule for immersion of Durga in the river Buriganga to avoid untoward incident. Immersion and procession will take place from 2:00pm to 5:00pm, 6:00pm to 7:30pm and after 9:00pm on October 23, the leaders declared.

The main immersion procession with idols of Durga in the capital will start at 2.00pm from Dhakeswary National Temple, announced a Mahanagar Sarbajaneen Puja Committee press release.

Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee has arranged a blood donation programme in collaboration with Salimullah Medical College at Dhakeswary National Temple at 11.00am.

Thousands of Hindus from all walks of life yesterday celebrated Mahanabami.They visited different Puja Mandaps in Dhakeswari National Temple, Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University, Ramna Kali Mandir, Siddheswari Kali Mandir, and temples in Tanti Bazar, Shankhari Bazar, Bangla Bazar, Mohakhali and Farm Gate areas.

Leaders of all political, social and cultural organisations, meanwhile, continued to visit Durga Puja Mandaps and exchange greetings with the Hindu community.

The leaders of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad, Mahanagar Sarbajaneen Puja Committee, Bangladesh Hindu Youth Welfare Foundation, Shree Krishna Mission, Bangladesh Chhatra Jubo Oikya Parishad and Bankers Puja Parishad have greeted the countrymen on the occasion.

Durga Puja is more of a socio-cultural celebration that falls in autumn (October). It is celebrated with great zeal especially in Bangladesh and West Bengal of India.