W ith the biggest religious festival of Hindu community just around the corner, the puja mandaps are being decorated in Chattogram.
The artisans are now busy making various clay models of the idols for the upcoming Durga Puja. However, many colourful idols being made from cotton scraps in Chattogram.
The Durga Puja will be held in 2,483 puja mandas in Chattogram district this year, including individual and Ghotpuja. This time the number of puja mandap in 16 police stations in Chattogram city is 293 and 2190 puja mandap in the district. Some puja mandaps have increased compared to last year.
On October 20, the main ceremony of Durga Puja will begin with Shashti Puja. On October 24, the five-day autumn festival will conclude with immersion on Bijaya Dashami.
Ahead of Durga Puja, various preparations including security have been made by the Chattogram district administration and puja celebration committee, law and order forces.
Pilgrims think that this year Durga Utsab will be crowded by increasing the puja mandap. In order to celebrate Puja in a colourful decorated, the Mahanagar Puja Udjapan Parishad has announced to take several strict decisions including DJ programs and not playing Hindi songs in the Puja Mandaps.
Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) and District Police have also issued various instructions to ensure smooth worship and avoid untoward incidents.
Decoration and painting, stage, lighting work is going on in all the puja mandaps of the district.
Durga Durga, manifested in the artist’s canvas, is building a residence in Chattogram city, villages, neighbourhood, areas. Bengalis feel like a festival for their mother. Various puja mandapas will be decorated with colorful lights.
Preparations are underway to buy puja clothes, jewelry in various shopping centers, markets. The last minute preparations of the festival are now going on in all the puja mandapas. Durgaidol has come to life in Tuli.
Lion Ashish Kumar Bhattacharya, President of Chattogram Metropolitan Puja Udjapan Parishad, said that all preparations are underway to complete Durga Puja in a vibrant, beautiful and disciplined manner.
Some puja mandaps have been raised this year. Last year there were attacks and terror in almost all the puja mandaps in Bangladesh. Everyone needs to be alert around the upcoming national elections, so that no untoward incident happens. The administration has been informed in this regard, so that the puja can be completed properly.
All puja mandaps will have their own volunteers in addition to law enforcement personnel.
Hillol Sen Ujjal, General Secretary of Chattogram Metropolitan Puja Celebration Parishad, said that the preparations for the puja celebration are underway. No kind of DJ program and playing of Hindi songs on mic will be allowed in our Mandaps. In addition to our directives, there are also some directives centrally. I request you to follow the instructions of every pujamandaps.
Chattogram District Puja Celebration Parishad general secretary Shyamal Kumar Palit said that a total of 2 thousand 190 idols and Ghotpuja will be held in the district.
The law and order forces have been informed to take all security measures so that the worshipers of the Sanatani religion can celebrate the puja without any disturbance. Police and Ansar members will be on duty at the Puja Mandapsduring the Puja.
A meeting was also held with the local administration. They assured us of overall security. I hope that the puja will be held beautifully with everyone's cooperation.
Meanwhile, Sadarghat, Dewanji Pukurphar and Goalpara in the city, it was seen that the potters of Chattogram are busy decorating the mother's idol for worship. The idol of mother is coming to life by scraping paint in various potter's quarters of the city. Saree, jewelery will be worn. Clay idols come alive with the touch of potters' paint.
According to potters, Ajanta style idols are also in high demand. In this type of idol, sarees, ornaments and body decorations are all done with clay and paint. Sarees, ornaments, decorative materials have to be bought separately for Bangla idol.
On the other hand, preparations are now underway in the pujamandaps of different places in the city and district. Mandap, arch is being built. Puja temples of different places are decorated with colours and fabrics. Mandap preparations are going on to celebrate the festival colourfully through songs, dances, arati, cultural programs, dramas.
Like every year, Durga Puja has been organized with different kinds of surprises in various mandas of the city including Hazari Lane, Patharghata, Ghatfarhadbeg, Sadarghat, Nalapara, Rajapukur Lane, Chatteswari Bari, Momin Road.
Outside the city, colorful pujas have been organized in various villages including Patia, Raojan, Fatikchari, MatriMandir of Boalkhali Upazila, Jyeshtapura village, Kelishahar, SouthBhurshi, Suchakradandi, Gahira, Noapara. Strict security measures have been taken in the city and district on the occasion of Durga Puja.