Bangladesh News

Blowing conches, ringing bells and cymbals, and booming dhak (drums) amid high-pitched ululation, Hindu devotees today herald the five-day Durga Puja celebrations across the country.

Following the lunar schedule, Bodhon ritual and Mahashashthi puja.will be held in the morning and the Adhibash of devi (goddess) Durga in the evening today.

The Hindus believe that the goddess, accompanied by her children Ganesh, Kartik, Lakshmi and Saraswati, descends on the earth today, the Mahashashthi, at the supplication of the devotees and stays for the next four days.

Accordingly, Mahasaptami will be celebrated on Friday, Maha Astami on Saturday, Mahanabami on Sunday and Bijoya Dashami on Monday.

The ten-handed Durga, the slayer of demon Mahishashur, is lion-borne, wielding an array of arms including kripan, chakra, gada, and bow and arrow.

Building of the puja mandaps and preparations for the rituals are already complete as goddess Durga will be displayed in the act of killing Mahishashur. Offerings of delicious foods, fruits, incense etc will be made to the goddess and later distributed among the assembled devotees.

The main puja mandap in the capital is at Dhakeshwari National Temple. Large mandaps have also been put up at Jagannath Hall in Dhaka University, Ramkrishna Mission, Ramna Kali Mandir, Siddheswari Kali Mandir, Tanti Bazar, Shankhari Bazar, Bangla Bazar, Mohakhali and Farmgate.

Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad has directed its district committees not to use loudspeakers and musical instruments during Iftar, Tarabi and Sehri so as not to disturb the fasting Muslims. The parishad leaders said ‘dhak’ can be used only for a while during the worship and Sandhya Arati.

Meanwhile, leaders of Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian-Oikya Parishad, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Mahanagar Sarbajaneen Puja Committee, Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Parishad and Bangladesh Christian Association yesterday alleged that the images of Durga had been damaged at several places in Dhaka, Jessore, Pirojpur, Narail, Narayanganj, Kushtia, Sunamganj, Natore and Sirajganj districts.

Identifying ‘vulnerable’ puja mandaps, the government has formed a monitoring cell and set up a security control room while around one lakh and 22 thousand ansars along with police, BDR and Rab will be deployed to maintain security of the mandaps during the puja celebrations, home ministry sources said.

President Iajuddin Ahmed, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina have felicitated the Hindus on the eve of the festival.