Durga Puja ends today

The largest religious festival of the Hindus here, Durga Puja, winds up today with the immersion of the goddess' idols across the country.
Hindus celebrate Vijaya Dashami, the last day of the five-daylong festivities, today.
Durga Puja is the worship of 'shakti' or divine power winning over the dark forces.
Thousands of Hindu devotees yesterday observed 'Mahanbami' with great enthusiasm at puja mandaps in the city and elsewhere in the country.
Devi Durga was offered the 'Nabami Bhog' of food and fruits which was later distributed among the devotees.
Vijaya Dashami is the special ceremony to reaffirm peace and good relations among people. Families visit each other to share sweets during the Dashami festivities. Married Hindu women put vermilion (sindur) on each other's forehead on the eve of the occasion.
Hindus believe that Dashami is the day when goddess Durga accompanied by her children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh set off for Kailash, her husband's abode.
The august day is preceded by the signature festivities of Mahalaya, the first day of the extravaganza, Sashthi, Saptami, Ashtami and Nabami.
Festivities build up on Mahasaptami, Mahashtami and Mahanabami, culminating in Vijaya Dashami, which marks the end of Durga Puja.
Thousands gathered yesterday to celebrate the Mahanabami, followed by the Kumari Puja on Friday. They visited different puja mandaps at 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.
Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Udjapan Committee has arranged a blood-donation programme at 11.00am today. They will also bring out a Dashami procession from Palashi intersection that will pass through the city down to Waiz Ghat, where the immersion will be held.
Leaders of different political, social and cultural organisations, meanwhile, continued to visit puja mandaps and exchange greetings with the Hindus.
Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, US Charge d'Affaires Geeta Pasi, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nur Mohammad, Dhaka City Police Commissioner Nayeem Ahmed yesterday exchanged greetings with people at the national temple.
The leaders of the Puja Committee, Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad, Jatiya Party, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Chhatra Moitree, Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote, Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Moitree Parishad, Shree Shree Ramshita Mandir and Bangladesh Chhatra Jubo Oikya Parishad greeted the people on the eve of the Vijaya.