Bangladesh News

The Hindu devotees across the country will observe the Mahanabami at Puja Mandaps today amid due religious fervour and festivity.

Bhog (offering) of delicious food and fruits will be made to Devi Durga, the goddess of supreme power, and later distributed among the devotees.

Meanwhile, thousands of ardent believers performed Kumari Puja yesterday on the Mahaastami of the five-day long Durga Puja. A girl aged between six and 12, symbolising the Kumari (virgin) form of Durga, is worshipped in front of the idol of the goddess as a living replica of her on this day.

The devotees knelt down in front of the Kumari, a six-year-old girl adorned with flowers and ornaments with alta-decorated feet and a tilak of sindur on her forehead, at the Ramkrishna Mission Temple in the city yesterday.

According to Hindu scriptures, Kumari Puja commemorates the killing of Kolasur by the Goddess Maha Kali. Legend goes that Kolasur had occupied the heavens and the earth. As the helpless deities approached Mohakali for help, she was born again in the form of a maiden named Durga and killed Kolasur.

Special devotional songs, dances and aratis were performed at different puja mandaps on the occasion of the Kumari Puja.

People of all walks of life gathered in city’s puja mandaps including Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University, Ramkrishna Mission, Ramna Kali Mandir, Siddheswari Kali Mandir, Tanti Bazar, Bangla Bazar to see the idols of Durga.

Shandhi Puja was also observed yesterday night according to the lunar schedule.

However, the devotees suffered due to repeated load-sheddings during the whole day, Jayanta Sen Dipu, president of Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee told the Daily Star. “We cannot maintain all rituals that we used to perform in the earlier years due to load shedding,” he added.

However, the Committee president appreciated the law and security measures taken up by the government.

The devotees will bid farewell to the goddess along with her children and immerse the idols in river after observing Bijoya Dashami tomorrow.