The Hindu community in Bangladesh and across the globe is observing Subho Mahalaya today (Saturday, October 10, 2026), officially marking the transition from Pitripaksha to Devipaksha and initiating the countdown to Sharadiya Durgotsav, the largest religious festival of the Bengali Hindu community.
The day began with early morning Chandi Path (recitations from the holy Chandi) at temples and puja mandaps across the country to invoke Goddess Durga to earth. Devotees gathered near riversides, water bodies, and temples to perform Tarpan, offering prayers, water, and sesame seeds to pay homage to deceased ancestors and pray for the salvation of their departed souls.
According to scripture, Mahalaya signifies the day Goddess Durga was endowed with divine powers by Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva to defeat the demon king Mahishasura. This year, across Bangladesh, Durga Puja celebrations will be hosted in 33,851 mandaps. Religious scriptures indicate that the Goddess will arrive on a horse (ghotak) and depart by boat (nouka). Following the rituals of Mahalaya, the five-day festival will officially commence with Sasthi puja on October 16 and conclude with Bijaya Dashami on October 21.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Staff Reporter • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
