The main formalities of Durga Puja, the major religious festival of the Hindu community, will begin on October 11 this year. During this Puja religious Hindu men and women will worship goddess Durga amid a festivity.
Already, most of the eye-catching Durga idols have flourished in an eye-catching manner in the skilled hands of the idol artisans. The work of making idols is going on in full swing in Sylhet like all over the country. Idol artists are now very busy in this work.
Read more: Artisans passing busy time in making idols for Durga Puja
On Wednesday (September 29), some idol artisans told Bangladesh Post that Goddess Durga is coming to enlighten the dark world. Devotees are eagerly waiting to receive the Goddess Durga with drums and conch shells. Artisans are working day and night to represent themselves as best artisans through their work.
Preparations are going on amid festivity to perform the Puja in due manner at 670 mandaps all over Sylhet this year. According to Sylhet Metropolitan and District Puja Udjapan Parishad, Durga Puja will be performed at 65 mandaps including 50 pubic and 15 family mandaps.
Preparations are now underway in all the mandaps to celebrate the Puja. However, the followers of the Hindu community are also keeping in mind the threat of coronavirus transmission while taking preparations for the Puja, sources of the Puja Udjapan Parishad added. As General Secretary of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad’s Sylhet district unit Ranjan Ghosh said, “Once again, due to Corona pandemic situation, we have taken steps to maintain social distance and follow the rules of hygiene at the mandaps.”
He added, “Saradiya Durga Puja will start on October 11 with the formalities of Shashti Puja. That is why the last minute work of finishing the colorful decoration of Goddess Durga is going on in the mandaps. The idols are being painted now in an eye catching manner.”
“All the preparations for performing the Puja, including wreath-laying, Chandipath, distribution of Mahaprasad, seminars, cultural programmes, Aarti, Bhajan Kirtan, ligh show and decoration, are now in the final stages”, he further said. Sanjay Pal, an idol artisan from Mirzajangal area, said the work of making idols is over now the work of painting is going on. The idols will be completed in the next two to four days. Each idol is being made here for a maximum of Tk 50,000 and a minimum of Tk 20,000.
Shopping spree is also going on marking Durga Puja. Crowds have been noticed in the clothes shops around the city's shopping malls as part of welcoming Goddess Durga.
Vanujay Das, auditor of Sylhet City Corporation, told The Bangladesh Post, “We have requested everyone to strengthen security, recruit volunteers in each Puja mandap, provide generators and keep inspection books. I hope that this time the Puja will be celebrated with joy with the joint efforts of all.”
Read more: Artisans busy making idols at 169 mandaps for Durga Puja
Meanwhile, the Sylhet district Superintendent of Police Md Farid Uddin said that special attention will be paid to the security of the Puja mandaps.
In this regard, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Jaintapur Police Station Golam Dastagir told The Bangladesh Post that the law and order situation is great on the occasion of Durga Puja. A meeting will be held on October 3 with the leaders to complete the Puja in each mandaps as per the government rules.
“The police administration is working hard to ensure that law and order situation does not deteriorate. With the cooperation of everyone, I hope we will be able to complete the Puja celebration well”, he added.