Durga Puja festivities in Bangladesh

ejazr

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Five-day Durga Puja celebrations begin in Bangladesh | APN News

Five-day celebrations of Durga Puja the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community in Bangladesh began on Sunday across the country amidst festivity and religious fervour. Special prayers and pujas were held to mark the arrival of Goddess Durga on Maha Shashti day. This year 28,000 mandaps have been set up in different parts of Bangladesh to celebrate Durga Puja.

AIR correspondent reports, Dhaka is wearing a festive look with exquisitely designed and decorated pandals installed with beautiful idols of Godess Durga to celebrate Durga Puja. The pandals reverberated with the sound of ringing bells, drum beats and blowing of conches as special pujas were held to mark the first day of the festival. A large number of devotees visited the 199 pandals set up in Dhaka city to seek the blessings of the divine Goddess.

Securty has been beefed up in the city and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police have taken adequate steps to prevent any untoward incidents during the festival period.
 

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200 pavilions to stage Durga Puja in Dhaka | | bdnews24.com

Dhaka, Sept 23 (bdnews24.com)—Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindus in Bangladesh, will be observed from Oct 2 to Oct 6 at 196 pavilions or mandaps in the capital, Dhaka, the organisers say.

Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee president Biresh Chandra Saha told bdnews24.com on Friday that last year Puja was arranged at 193 pavilions in the city. This year, the Puja is being celebrated in 10 new pavilions and not in seven previous pavilions.

Saha said the preparation was almost at the final stages. The committee had discussions with the government about the security measures during the Puja and the government assured them of providing maximum security.

The committee president said unlike in the previous years no idols have been vandalised so far this time around.

According to Hindu faith, Goddess Durga comes down to the Earth from the Heaven to establish peace, harmony by annihilating evil forces.

Bengalis celebrate the occasion by getting dressed in new cloths, buying gifts and savouring delicacies. Families go out to the pavilions and revere the goddess.

Saha said Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee would form a cell to monitor Puja celebrations across the country. "The people concerned should contact with the committee if they face any trouble anywhere."

Puja committee general secretary Babul Debnath told bdnews24.com there were four sensitive Puja pavilions in the city – Azimpur Government Colony Temple, Laksmikanta Janardhan Temple of Sutrapur, Central Sarbajanin Puja Mandap of Mirpur section-2 and Bhusir Lane Shiva Temple – as some local land sharks are making troubles there.

"Special security measures will be taken for those Puja pavilions," he added.

A meeting was held at the Dhakeshwari National Temple on Friday noon ahead of the Puja, attended by representatives from all temples and monasteries.

Priest of Dhakeshwari Temple Ratan Chakraborti told bdnews24.com that the Mahalaya, the day that ushers the countdown to Durga Puja by inviting the goddess, will be observed on Sept 27 while the Moha Shashthhi will be observed on Oct 2. On this day, the Goddess is worshiped with eight materials including flower, gold and silver.
 

ejazr

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Also much impressed by the fact that BD opposition BNP leaders interacting with their Hindu community and join them in their celebrations.

PM, BNP leaders visit Dhakeshwari temple | | bdnews24.com

Dhaka, Oct 5 (bdnews24.com) – The prime minister and some senior leaders of main opposition BNP greeted people on the occasion of Durga Puja during their visit to Dhakeshwari National Temple.

Sheikh Hasina visited the temple around 3pm on Wednesday, which happened to be the 'Maha Nabami' day — the fourth day of the five-day Durga Puja festival of the Hindu community.

The prime minister said Bangladesh again proved itself to be a country of religious harmony by observing Durga Puja in a peaceful manner.

She thanked the people at every level for their soulful support to the festival celebrations.

Later, the prime minister, accompanied by Awami League leaders including presidium member Suranjit Sengupta, visited Ramakrishna Mission.

Thousands of devotees joined the 'Maha Nabami' rituals at temples and makeshift marquees.

They said the rituals began in the morning with 'Maha Arati', administered by Hindu priests at temples and marquees, and distribution of sweets and fruits.

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community in Bangladesh, began on Sunday across the country.

'Maha Bijaya Dashami', the last day of Durga Puja when Hindus bid farewell to the goddess and greet each other 'Bijaya' wishes, will be celebrated on Thursday, when the deities and Goddess Durga will be immersed in rivers.

This year Durga Puja is being celebrated at some 3,000 pavilions or marquees across the country, including 200 in the city.

According to Hindu faith, Goddess Durga descended on the earth from the heaven to establish peace and harmony by annihilating evil forces.

BNP acting general secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited Dhakeshwari temple, Kalabagan Puja Mandap and Banani Puja Mandap.

He went to Dhakeshwari temple at about 6pm and exchanged interacted with the Hindu community people.

He was accompanied by BNP leaders, including Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, former state minister Gautam Chakraborty and city BNP member secretary Abdus Salam.
 

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