(BSS) - The five-day-long Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, began here today with festivity and religious fervor.

The incarnation (Bodhon) of Goddess Durga was held yesterday at temples on Maha Panchami, ahead of the main puja.

Her arrival on earth was welcomed by devotees with much fanfare amidst the beats of the dhak (drum). The main ritual performed on this day was the unveiling of the face of Goddess Durga`s idol.

The rituals of Bodhon, Amontron and Adibas were carried out before the commencement of the puja.

District Puja Celebration Parishad President Paresh Chandra Sarker said a total of 585 puja mandaps have been erected in all seven upazilas of the district this year.

Of the total, 92 mandaps have been set up in Sadar upazila, 128 in Sundarganj upazila, 133 in Gobindaganj upazila, 107 in Sadullapur upazila, 56 in Palashbari upazila, 53 in Shaghata upazila and 16 in Fulchhari upazila, he added.

The entire district has taken on a festive look as Hindu devotees - men, women, youths and adolescents - attired in fine dresses thronged different puja mandaps to see Goddess Durga and seek Her blessings.

Besides, people of other religious faiths are also visiting the colorfully decorated mandaps and exchanging greetings with their Hindu friends and neighbours.

The festival will end on October 2 with the immersion of Durga idols in different water bodies including ponds, canals and rivers after the celebration of Bijoya Dashami.

Superintendent of Police Nishat Angella said a large number of law enforcers, including RAB, police and Ansar-VDP members, have been deployed in and around the puja mandaps to ensure peaceful celebrations. Road patrolling has also been intensified to maintain law and order.

Initiatives have also been taken to provide uninterrupted power supply to the mandaps during the celebrations.

Talking to BSS, Deputy Commissioner Choudhury Muazzam Ahmed said the district administration distributed 292.5 tonnes of rice to the puja mandaps through the district and upazila administrations to help the Hindu community celebrate the festival.