Durga returns husband’s home

Staff Correspondent, DHAKA, Oct 14: Thousands of members of the Hindu community bid farewell to Devi Durga with tears and prayers immersing the goddess in rivers and water bodies across the country on Monday afternoon.

With the immersion of the idols of the goddess Durga on Bijoya Doshomi, according to Hindu beliefs, she goes back to her husband’s home in Kailash. The goddess will return again to her parental home here on earth after a year, According to the Hindu almanac, the goddess arrives in a palanquin and goes back on an elephant.

Durga puja is the worship of `Shakti` or divine power embodied in Devi Durga symbolizing the battle between good and evil where the dark forces eventually succumb to the divine forces.

Bijoya Dashami, the 10th day of the bright fortnight marks the Victory of Good over Evil, God over Devil.

In capital Dhaka, Hindu devotees in colourful attires joined spectacular truck processions carrying idols of Durga amid fanfare towards the Buriganga River for immersion when children, the young and the elderly joined hands to slowly put the idols into the water at the climax of the festival, the biggest of the Bengali-speaking followers of Hindu faith.

The main procession begins from capital Dhaka’s Dhakeshwari Temple at around 2:30pm.

Thousands of devotees carry the goddess’ idol to the river with age-old musical instruments such as ‘Shankha’, ‘Khol’, ‘Dhak’ and ritual songs played loudly on modern sound systems.

The processions start from Palashi and circle various streets of Old Dhaka, causing traffic congestion at places, before ending on the banks of the Buriganga.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sarbojonin Puja Celebration Committee Bosudeb Dhar said the 214 idols from mandaps in Dhaka would be immersed at Binasmrity Snanghat, Turag BIWTA ghat and Postogola.

President Abdul Hamid hosted a reception to members of Hindu community today while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited some Hindu temples yesterday marking the puja festival.

Bangladesh this year witnessed erection of over 28,000 makeshift puja mandaps or marquees with flowers and multi-coloured lights across the country.

risingbd/ASB