Indian High Commissioner visits Durga Puja pandals in Dhaka on Ashtami

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi visited Durga Puja pandals in Dhaka on Maha Ashtami, extending greetings. His visit comes amid large-scale festivities across Bangladesh, with over 33,851 pujas organised this year.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi on Monday visited Durga Puja pandals in Gulshan and Banani, upscale areas of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, and extended his greetings to people on the occasion of Maha Ashtami. Trivedi visited the puja mandaps in the morning and conveyed his wishes to people celebrating the festival.

Speaking to ANI in Bengali upon his arrival, the Indian High Commissioner said, “Happy Ashtami to everyone. My pranam (respectful greetings), best wishes, and love. Today is a very joyous day. Seeing this festive atmosphere makes me very happy. May this kind of atmosphere remain every day.”

During the visit, Trivedi extended his greetings to everyone and expressed happiness at the festive atmosphere in the two areas of Dhaka. Mahashtami holds special importance during Durga Puja, with devotees visiting pandals to offer pushpanjali, or flowers to the goddess, as part of the day’s prayers. For many, the ritual is among the most cherished moments of the festival, bringing families and communities together in worship.

India-Bangladesh Relations and Cultural Engagement

Earlier on October 10, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi attended Mahalaya celebrations at Dhakeshwari Temple in Old Dhaka. Trivedi's participation comes amid India's continued emphasis on constructive engagement with Bangladesh and stable bilateral relations.

Nationwide Festive Spirit

In Bangladesh, the festivities for Durga Puja began 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.

Religious and Cultural Significance of Durga Puja

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.

Durga Puja culminates on Vijayadashami (Dussehra), which falls on the tenth day of the festival and celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)