Rakher Vrata and Gosai Vrata

Many Hindus worship Shree Shree Lokenath Brahmachari, an 18th century saint, philosopher and spiritual guru of Bengal, praying for peace and prosperity in this life and the life after. On every Saturday and Tuesday in the Bengali month of Kartik, hundreds of followers -- men, women and children -- of the saint fast and offer prayers at Lokenath temples in Dhaka's Swamibagh and Barodi of Narayanganj. The fasting is known as Rakher Vrata and Gosai Vrata. In the pictures, fasting devotees offer their supplication to Lokenath with incense, earthen lamps and candles.

Photo: Anisur Rahman