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Hindu devotees celebrated Maha Ashtami on Monday with prayers and traditional rituals at Durga Puja mandaps across Bangladesh, marking the triumph of good over evil.
At the Gulshan-Banani Puja Mandap in Kamal Ataturk Park, Banani, Dhaka, devotees gathered from early morning to participate in pushpanjali and Sandhi Puja, two of the main rituals of the day.
Sunil Chakraborty, a priest at the mandap, said the worship was conducted according to prescribed scriptural timings.
The rituals began at 7:37am, with 108 blue lotuses offered to Goddess Durga. Devotees later offered flowers and bel leaves during pushpanjali, accompanied by drumbeats, bells and sacred chants.
Sandhi Puja was held from 7:55am to 8:43am. According to Hindu belief, the 48-minute transition between Ashtami and Navami commemorates the moment Goddess Durga took the form of Chamunda and killed the demons Chanda and Munda. Sixty-four earthen lamps were lit to mark the occasion.
Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi visited the mandap with his wife around 9am and joined devotees in offering prayers.
“I have not come here as a representative of the Indian high commissioner. I have come as a member of the family and as a devotee,” he said.
Praising the craftsmanship of the idols and decorations, Trivedi said Bangladesh and West Bengal shared rich artistic and cultural traditions. He thanked the organisers for preserving their heritage, adding that festivals provided artists with opportunities to showcase their skills.
He also expressed hope that the spirit of friendship and communal harmony would continue beyond the festive season.
Explaining the significance of offering prayers, Trivedi said it symbolised surrendering one’s ego before God. He described Mahishasura as a representation of the evil and violent thoughts within people.
“The real lesson of the puja is to overcome the negative thoughts and mental violence in our daily lives—to defeat the ‘Mahishasura’ within us,” he said.
Binay Gopal Roy, general secretary of the Gulshan-Banani Sarbojanin Puja Foundation, said large numbers of devotees had gathered at the mandap since morning. Pushpanjali was conducted in several groups, followed by the distribution of prasad.
He said the Indian high commissioner and his wife had attended the prayers, while the British high commissioner was expected to visit in the evening. The organisers were receiving adequate assistance from law enforcement agencies despite the large crowds, he added.
Durga Puja began on Friday with Maha Shashthi. Navami worship will be held on Tuesday, followed by Vijayadashami on Wednesday, when idol immersion will bring the festivities to an end.
According to Hindu scriptures, Goddess Durga arrived this year riding a horse and will return by boat.
