Hindus at the Puja pandals in Bangladesh have joined their fellow devotees around the globe in observing, heavy-hearted, Nabami prayers on Monday evening as the year’s Durga Puja draws to a close on Tuesday.
Monday was passed in daylong prayers and in floral offerings at the feet of goddess Durga to mark Maha Nabami, the penultimate day of Durga Puja, the biggest annual religious festival of the Bengali Hindus.
According to ancient Hindu belief, goddess Durga comes to earth as a daughter during the five days between the fifth and 10th days of the moonlit fortnight of Ashwin month.
After religious revelry through four days, the goddess is bid farewell for a year through immersion ceremony on Bijoya Dashami, which this year will be observed on Tuesday.
The Nabami rituals that began with prayers on Monday morning concluded with an aarti (obeisance ceremony) competition.
Dhakeshwari National Temple Head Priest Ranajit Chakraborty said, “In keeping with the traditions, the moment of Maha Nabami arrived at 9:50am on Monday. Devotees and priests offered their prayers to the goddess through offering of Pujas.”
Speaking at length about the aarti competition, another priest, Narayan Chakraborty, said, “Dhaks (indigenous drums used especially during Puja) beat outside the mandaps (Puja pavilions) and contesting priests presented the aarti dance. Three priests from these will be selected for prizes,” he said.
Ranajit Chakraborty said the goddess has come riding a horse this time and will depart in it too.
“Such an arrival of the goddess is indicative of natural calamities like earthquakes and disasters like wars and terror attacks,” he explained.
“Offering floral homage to the goddess’ feet, we have prayed for the prosperity of one and all irrespective of cast or creed. Just as she has been destroying the ashura (demon and hence the symbol of evil forces) down the ages, we have prayed that she listen to our prayers this year as well and destroy the forces representing evil,” he said.
Source: Bd news24
