Staff Reporter:
Kali Puja or Shyama Puja, the second largest festival after Durga Puja of Bangalee Hindu community, was observed in country on Sunday night and early yesterday with worshiping goddess Kali, lighting earthen lamps, candles at temples and residences amid due religious fervor and enthusiasm.
Kali Puja is also called Deepabali or Diwali, the festival of lights.
Kali Puja, worshipping the Goddess of strength, wisdom and enlightenment, is celebrated at the night of Amavasya of the Bangla month of Kartik (October or November).
At Dhakeshwari National Temple, worshiping of Goddess Kali began at 10 pm followed by offering Anjali by a large number of devotees who kept fasting all the day after taking dinner on Saturday, Later, charanamrito and maha prashad were distributed among devotees, said Monindra Kumar Nath, president of Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee.
Earlier the festival began with lighting up 1,000 earthen lamps on the temple premises as Principal and Secretary of Ramkrishna Math and Ramkrishna Mission, Dhaka Smt. Swami Purnatmanandaji Maharaj inaugurated it in the evening.
Later, devotional songs were performed on the temple premises by noted singers.
