Mahashaptami celebrated

Mahashaptami Puja, the second day of the Hindu community's largest religious festival Durga Puja, was celebrated yesterday amid much festivity, singing hymns and anjalies (offering flower).
Devotees, especially children, teenagers and women dressed in new clothes, went round different mandaps to adore Devi Durga and her children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh.
They fasted and offered anjalies to the Goddess, seeking her blessings and praying to safeguard mankind from evils.
According to Hindu myth, it was the day when the Goddess took shape in her idols set at temples.
On this day, Kola Bow or Nabapatrika is given a pre-dawn bath. This is an ancient ritual of worshipping nine types of plants, seeking blessings in the production of crops to eradicate hunger from the world.
Then follows the ritual of 'Kalparambho' and Mahasnan. The devotees believe that by taking sacred food of Mahasnan, all sins will be removed.
Shankharibazar, Tantibazar, Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University, Ramna Kali Mandir, Dhakeswari Mandir, Thataribazar, Ramkrishna Mission, Siddeswari Kali Mandir, Dayaganj, Rayerbazar, Rajarbagh and Rishipara were a few of the popular mandaps that took a festive look with colourful designs and lights.
A number of temporary shops of food, handmade ornaments and worship elements were set up adjacent to different puja mandaps.
Home Minister Shahara Khatun, Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Rajeet Mitter, lawmaker Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin yesterday visited the Dhakeswari National Temple.