Mahalaya celebrations on Sunday

The Hindu community of the country will celebrate Mahalaya, the auspicious occasion of heralding the advent of Goddess Durga, on Sunday.

With the beginning of 'Devipaksha', Mahalaya is observed six days before Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community. Usually, the Devi Paksha commences with Mahalaya Amavasya. 

As it happens every year, security will be beefed up on the puja mandaps across the country.

According to Hindu mythology Mahalaya marks the last day of 'Krishnapaksha', which is a dark fortnight of the month of Ashwin.

Although Durga Puja will formally begin on October 1 through 'Shasthhi' puja, the advent of Durga will be herald from Sunday. 

The nine-day festival of Navratri dedicated to Goddess Durga in the month of Ashwin usually commences soon after Pitru Paksha ends.

Mahalaya marks an invitation of sorts to goddess Durga to begin her journey from Kailash to her paternal home (earth), along with her children.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid on Saturday urged all to remain alert for maintaining communal harmony in the country during the upcoming Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Bangali Hindu community.

"A vested quarter of fundamentalists are engaged in various conspiracies to destroy the communal harmony among the Hindu-Muslim community. Last year during Durga Puja, an untoward incident took place in Cumilla. Everyone has to remain vigilant so that this kind of incident does not repeat this year," he said.