Bijoya Dashami today
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Durga Puja
Bijoya Dashami today
Staff Correspondent
The beating of drums and cymbals, intricately designed idols of Durga and drifts of incense lent the capital a festive air as Hindu devotees celebrated maha navami, the ninth day of prayers offered to the Goddess Durga.
Thousands of people from different walks of life paid their homage to the goddess at over 200 mandaps (pavilions) in the city alone. The festivities began early in the morning with ritual dance worships, called aarti, and continued late into the night, as devotees prepared for the immersion of the Goddess for Bijaya Dashami, the tenth and final day of the celebrations.
Each of the mandaps was adorned with beautiful idols. Skilled artisans and artists had crafted those and showcased the Goddess in all her glory. Chinese lanterns and multicoloured bulbs lit up the streets, directing the crowd towards the centre of the festivities. Street vendors sold traditional delicacies, while dhakis, ritual drummers, delighted city residents with their joyous beats in each of the locations.
"It is a wonderful feeling to be able to celebrate Durga Puja with the rest of the Hindu community in such a magnificent fashion," said Illa Paal, who was visiting Dhakeshwari Temple along with her family.
The most popular destinations for devotees have been the same as in previous years -- Dhakeshwari Temple, Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University, Ramna Kali Mandir, Siddheswari Kali Mandir, Kalabagan ground, Banani ground and the temples of Tanti Bazar, Shankhari Bazar and Bangla Bazar.
Durga Puja, the biggest festival for followers of the Hindu faith, marks the victory of good over evil, with the slaying of demon Mahishasura by Goddess Durga. The five-day festival from October 20 will conclude today with the idols of Mother Goddess and her four children-- Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesha--taken in processions for immersion in the river or sea.
The celebrations have taken place peacefully in the capital amid tight security.
However, in several districts, including Gopalganj and Kishoreganj, the mood of festivity was spoiled days before the puja when a number of idols were desecrated in mandaps being prepared for the festival.
Greeting the citizens of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote, in a statement, said violence against minorities, destruction of temples and idols and grabbing of Hindu lands and homes proved that communal forces had become powerful. The minorities were now suffering from insecurity and vulnerability, the committee said.
Dr Kamal Hossain, chairperson of Gonoforum, stated that all people of Bangladesh had been living peacefully together irrespective of their ethnicity or religion. They have participated in each other's festivals but lately some evil forces have become active in spreading communal sentiments, he added.