Dhaka [Bangladesh], October 15 (ANI): From the sound of devotional prayers echoing through temples to vibrant preparations at puja mandaps, Bangladesh is gearing up for Durga Puja, its biggest Hindu festival, with fervour and enthusiasm, as devotees prepare to welcome Goddess Durga and immerse themselves in days of worship, tradition and family reunions.
With 33,851 pujas scheduled across the country this year, the celebrations are set to bring communities together, with many people travelling from bustling cities to their hometowns and villages to mark the auspicious occasion with their loved ones.
The festivities will begin on Friday with Maha Shashthi, setting the stage for a five-day celebration filled with devotion and traditional rituals across Bangladesh.
According to the Bangladesh Puja Celebration Committee, around 33,851 pujas are being organised across the country this year, compared with 32,351 last year. In the capital Dhaka, around 258 pujas are scheduled to take place, slightly fewer than the 261 held in the city last year.
The figures include both idol pujas and celebrations conducted at individual households, reflecting the widespread observance of the festival across communities.
General Secretary of the Bangladesh Puja Celebration Committee, Santosh Sharma, said this year's Durga Puja festivities were being celebrated with great enthusiasm.
The festive spirit has also received a boost from the Bangladesh government's decision to extend the general holiday by one day, taking the total holiday period to three days. With the weekend and two additional days also factored in, people are hoping for a five-day break to celebrate the festival.
For many devotees, Durga Puja is as much about reconnecting with family and returning to their roots as it is about religious observance. The holiday period offers an opportunity for people living in major cities to travel home and celebrate alongside relatives and their communities.
"This year, many people are leaving Dhaka and other big cities to return to their village homes. Therefore, the festive spirit is even stronger this year," Kajol Debnath, former president of the Bangladesh Puja Celebrations Committee, told ANI.
The movement of people from Dhaka and other urban centres to villages and hometowns has added to the anticipation, with families preparing to observe the festival together and devotees looking forward to the days of worship ahead.
The celebrations are also bringing devotees across borders, with visitors from India travelling to Bangladesh to experience the festival and participate in its religious traditions.
Among them is Shiksha Rani Das, an 82-year-old resident of Kolkata, who has travelled to Bangladesh this year to celebrate Durga Puja.
Das is currently visiting the puja pandals at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka and plans to travel to Sylhet, outside the capital, to continue celebrating the festival.
For her, the visit offers an opportunity to experience the celebrations in Bangladesh and witness the devotion surrounding the worship of Goddess Durga.
"I am very happy to be here in Bangladesh, witnessing the celebration of Durga Puja, the festival of the Goddess," Das told ANI, standing in front of a puja mandap at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka.
Her visit adds a personal dimension to the festivities, highlighting how the festival draws devotees who wish to experience its rituals and traditions beyond their own cities and communities.
Durga Puja holds deep religious and cultural significance for Bangladesh's Hindu community, as well as Bengalis all around the world, bringing devotees together at temples, community pandals and homes for prayers and celebrations.
The festival celebrates Goddess Durga and the triumph of good over evil, with the days of worship marked by rituals, gatherings and participation in community festivities.
With thousands of pujas planned across the country, preparations are entering their final stages as devotees get ready to welcome the goddess and celebrate with family members and fellow worshippers. (ANI)
Bangladesh gears up for Durga Puja celebrations with fervour, enthusiasm as festivities begin Friday
