Durga Puja ends with idol immersion

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, ended on Tuesday with the immersion of goddess Durga in the capital and elsewhere across the country.

Devotees in their tearful eyes bade farewell to the mother deity and her children — Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh — through the immersion of their idols in the water wishing Durga’s return next year.

The ceremonial worship of the goddess ended with the celebration of Bijoya Dashami and devotees immersing the idols of the deity and her children in rivers.

Durga Puja, the annual Hindu festival which is also known as Sharadiya (autumnal) Durga Utsav, is the worship of ‘Shakti’ [divine force] embodied in goddess Durga.

It symbolises the battle between good and evil where the dark forces eventually succumb to the divine.

The annual festivities began on Friday with Mahashashthi puja while the Maha Saptami puja was held on Saturday; Maha Ashtami, Kumari Puja and Sandhi puja on Sunday and Maha Nabami puja on Monday.

This year, the religious festival was celebrated at over 31,000 puja mandaps throughout the country.

A large numbers of devotees irrespective of ages thronged the city mandaps, particularly Dhakeshwari National Temple, and offered prayers before goddess Durga seeking divine blessings for peace, prosperity and welfare of the country and its people.

Besides, devotees brought out a Bijoya Dashami procession in the city from the temple premises in the city.

President Abdul Hamid hosted a reception for members of the Hindu community at Bangabhaban, marking Durga Puja.