Dhaka:Maha Navami, the fourth day of the six-day Durga Puja festival, will be celebrated tomorrow with religious fervor and enthusiasm. Devotees are expected to gather at temples and mandaps across the country to offer anjali, participate in concluding worship rituals, and partake in the offering of bhog.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Maha Ashtami was celebrated today with due religious fervor and festivity. The rituals of Maha Ashtami Kalparambha and Bihit Puja were conducted in temples nationwide, including Dhakeshwari National Temple. Devotees offered anjali and received charanamrito, with Maha Prasad distributed among them. Sandhi Puja, marking the transition from Ashtami to Navami, took place from 755 am to 843 am.
The Kumari Puja, a traditional ritual where a young, unmarried girl is worshipped as an embodiment of Goddess Durga, was held at various temples. In Dhaka, the ritual was observed at Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. During this ceremony, devotees offered water, clothes, flowers, and gold and silver ornaments to the Kumari.
Since last Friday, puja mandaps across the country have been bustling with devotees. The festival began with the ceremonial invocation of Goddess Durga on Maha Shashthi, accompanied by vibrant decorations, traditional dhak beats, and other festive sounds. This year, 33,851 puja mandaps have been set up nationwide, including 258 in the capital, indicating an increase of nearly 1,500 from the previous year.
Kamal Ataturk Park in Banani, hosted by the Gulshan-Banani Puja Foundation, is among the most elaborate celebrations in the capital, with makeshift pandals at Kalabagan ground and Khamarbari drawing substantial crowds. Bijaya Dashami, marking the farewell to Goddess Durga, will be celebrated on Wednesday with idol immersion processions. In Dhaka, significant celebrations are underway in areas like Tantibazar and Shakharibazar, with notable attendance at Ramna Kali Mandir, Siddheshwari Kali Mandir, Dhaka University's Jagannath Hall, and Uttara Sarbajanin Mandir.