Staff Correspondent

Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Bengali Hindu community, will begin across the country on Friday.

On the first day named Maha Shashti ceremonial awakening ceremony of goddess Durga Durga called Bodhan will be held.

The main rituals of Durga Puja will begin next day on Maha Saptami tithi has fallen on two days on Saturday and Sunday as per Bangla calendar.

On Maha Saptami, the ritual of Nabapatrika will be held in which nine plants representing different forms of the goddess are ceremonially bathed and worshipped. 

On Monday, Maha Ashtami will be celebratedwhich will feature Sandhi Puja, a transition between Ashtami and Navami. 

Maha Navami will feature the concluding major worship rituals and offer ‘bhog’ on the next day.

On the final day, devotees will bid farewell to Goddess Durga and take the idols in procession to designated rivers, ponds and other water bodies for immersion, known as Bisarjan.

Just two days before the mega festival, idol makers and artisans are now busy in giving final touch at the idols as all temples and makeshift puja mandaps are set to host the biggest and most gorgeous festival.

This year, the government has extended Durga Puja holiday to three days in executive order in response to longstanding demands from the Hindu community.

Combined with the regular Friday and Saturday weekend holidays, the extension will provide a total five-day break between October 20 and 24.

"It's truly a positive decision. We thank the prime minister for such decision," Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President Basudeb Dhar told BSS.

Puja committees, temples and mandaps across the country are busy completing preparations for the five-day festival, including construction and decoration of pandals, installation of idols, lighting arrangements and preparations for religious and cultural programmes. 

Authorities and local communities are also working to ensure security and smooth movement of devotees and visitors throughout the celebrations. The festival carries deep religious and cultural significance for Bangladesh's Hindu community. 

It commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon king Mahishasura and symbolises the triumph of good over evil. 

According to Hindu mythology, Mahishasura, empowered by a boon that made him invulnerable to men, became a threat to the deities. The gods by combining their divine powers created Goddess Durga, who fought and ultimately defeated the Mahishasura. 

On October 10, Mahalaya, an auspicious occasion that heralds the advent of Goddess Durga, was celebrated through different rituals by Hindus. 

As the festival approaches, mandaps in Dhaka and other parts of the country are taking shape with elaborate decorations, colourful lighting and artistic themes. 

Devotees and visitors are expected to gather at the mandaps throughout the celebrations to offer prayers, receive prasad and participate in religious and cultural programmes.

Durga Puja is observed not only as a major religious occasion but also as an important part of Bangladesh's cultural heritage. 

The festival brings together the members of the Hindu community and people from other faiths, reflecting the country's tradition of communal harmony and peaceful coexistence. 

The government has already announced enhanced security measures, increased government funding and an extended holiday for the upcoming Durga Puja.

Government funding for Durga Puja mandaps has also been increased to Tk 5 crore from Tk 4 crore following directives from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. 

The number of puja mandaps increased by nearly 1,500 compared to last year as the number stood at 33,851 this year.

However, the authorities will use a mobile application previously deployed by the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC) to strengthen monitoring during Durga Puja.

The app will facilitate the rapid dissemination of information about any untoward incident and help authorities respond quickly to maintain a peaceful and festive environment.

The Home Ministry has instructed relevant authorities to ensure uninterrupted electricity supplies at puja venues.

Mandap organisers have been asked to keep generators on standby round the clock and maintain rechargeable lights as an additional backup in case of power or generator failure.