Devotees bid farewell to Goddess Durga today

The six-day Durga Puja celebrations end today with Vijaya Dashami, as devotees across Bangladesh prepare to bid farewell to Goddess Durga through traditional idol immersion ceremonies. The Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad has instructed organisers to complete the rituals before evening, citing security concerns.

The day's rituals include Dashami Bihita Puja, followed by the Darpan ritual and immersion of the idols. In the capital, a procession will leave Dhakeshwari National Temple, pass through several streets and end at Sadarghat.

The festival began on October 16 with Shashthi Puja. On Tuesday, Mahanavami, temples and puja mandaps across the country drew large crowds of devotees and visitors, including in the densely populated areas of Old Dhaka.

Devotees offered prayers to Goddess Durga, worshipped as the destroyer of evil and slayer of the demon Mahishasura. According to Hindu belief, the Goddess returns to her husband, Lord Shiva, in Kailash after the festival.

Mahanavami rituals included special offerings and yajna, or fire ceremonies, as worshippers prayed for peace, prosperity and the well-being of humanity. Temples and mandaps were decorated with colourful gates, arches and festive lights, while the sounds of dhak drums, bells, gongs and conch shells filled the air.
Devotees arrived at the mandaps from morning, with crowds  swelling in the afternoon. Children dressed in new clothes accompanied their parents, while temporary stalls outside the venues sold food and other items. People from different communities also visited the mandaps to see the idols and join the celebrations, with crowds filling the narrow streets around several temples in Old Dhaka.

Leaders of various political parties and organisations, including the BNP, extended greetings to the Hindu community on Vijaya Dashami.

Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of Bangladesh's Hindu community, is an important part of the country's cultural heritage. The celebrations also reflect the tradition of communal harmony and peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths. Vijaya Dashami is a public holiday. This year, the government extended the Durga Puja holiday to three days through an executive order in response to a long-standing demand from the Hindu community. Combined with the regular Friday and Saturday weekend, the holiday period runs from October 20 to 24, giving people a five-day break.

Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and private television and radio channels are broadcasting special programmes, while national newspapers are publishing articles marking the festival.

With the immersion of the idols, devotees will conclude this year's celebrations and wait another year to welcome the Goddess back.