Dhakeshwari Temple - Religious and Socio-cultural Activities

Religious and Socio-cultural Activities

Dhakeshwari Temple is a hub of socio-cultural as well as religious activity. Each year, the largest celebration of Durga Puja (the most important event in the Bengali Hindu calendar) in Dhaka is held at the National Temple, and a stream of dignitaries (such as the Bangladeshi President, Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition, Members of Parliament and media celebrities) come to felicitate the Bangladeshi Hindu community from the temple premises. Several thousand worshippers and onlookers (including Muslims) stream through the premises where they are offered prasad (food - usually rice and lentils). A Bijaya Sammelani (cultural program following Durga Puja) takes place in the adjoining parade ground a few days after Durga Puja is complete, and is also a major cultural event in the Dhaka calendar, regularly attracting some of the top performers from the Dhaka music and film industry.

One of the most important events of the year is the Janmashthami procession which starts from Dhakeshwari temple and then proceeds through the streets of Old Dhaka; this occurs on the day of Lord Krishna's birthday, which is also a national holiday in Bangladesh and second only to Durga Puja in importance in the Bengali Hindu calendar. The procession dates back to 1902 but was stopped in 1948 following the establishment of Pakistan and subsequent attacks by Muslim mobs in Dhaka. The procession was resumed in 1989.

Concerts and charity drives (such as flood relief) are also a regular fixture within the temple throughout the year. Each year, Dhakeshwari Temple hosts major blood drives and inoculation programs which are open to all residents of Dhaka city.

At the old time festivals happened on the month of Chaitra in temple complex of Dhakeswari. This place was crowded by various colored shops. Peoples-virtuous comes to visit the temple to gather religious merit and get back to their home. Millions of Hindu religious peoples taking bath at Langolbondon the month of choitra on sukla ostomi time to rid of their sins. People comes to dhakeswari temple by on foot from different roads to be blessed by the deity Durga like a row of ants. It was the best moment of their whole year. With great hope they come out from their home and it’s reflected on their faces, to getting rid of their sins they worship to the Deity with exclusive devotion by bowing their head to mediation of Bhagaban. They forget about everything hunger, sleep, restless everything, they just believe that they will be blessed and they step up for the temple. All those peoples divided into small groups, each groups has ten to twenty. Every one of those group members are women, only one man is there to taking care of them who is the elders of the village. They have comes from very long distance by forming groups. Old peoples, skinny peoples and the oldest are also gathered to this group. Young people from the nearest city to the temple volunteering for the people come from long distance to be blessed by the Deity. With a great concentration, eagerness to the worship of the Deity and often bowing by shouting “Oom Dhaka eswari”.

In present days, each year, the largest celebration of Durga puja(the most important event in the Bengali Hindu calendar) in Dhaka is held at the National Temple, and a stream of dignitaries come to felicitate the Bangladeshi Hindu community from the temple premises. Several thousand worshippers and onlookers (including Muslims) stream through the premises where they are offered prasad(food - usually rice and lentils). A Bijaya Sammelani (cultural program following Durga Puja) takes place in the adjoining parade ground a few days after Durga Puja is complete, and is also a major cultural event in the Dhaka calendar.