Editorial
Durga Puja
The harbinger of peace
Durga Puja, the main religious festival of the Hindu community, has been observed with great fervour and grandiosity that are integral parts of the event. According to Hindu religion, Mother Durga descends upon earth about this time of the year to cleanse the hearts of the followers and shower them with divine blessings before returning to her abode amongst the pantheon of gods and goddesses. It is said that Durga Puja remains the most revered religious occasion of the Bengali Hindus all over the world.The five-day festivity attracted thousands of devotees to the temples and special mandaps erected for the purpose, after waiting eagerly for one year for her arrival. Traditionally, high priests decorate the image of the goddess with beautiful clothes and ornaments and submit earthly offerings at her feet amidst chanting of verses from holy scriptures. And over the chanting of holy hymns, thick smoke of incense and din of the metal bells, the eternal message of sublimity, peace and the triumph of the good over evil permeates every heart. This year Durga Puja has been celebrated by the followers in Bangladesh in an environment of relatively improved social order. They have observed the rites in a peaceful manner without facing any untoward threat from anti-social elements. It is heartening to learn that a record high number of Puja mandaps were set up across the country by the devotees. The government deserves a word of praise for arranging tight security with CCTV and metal detectors at the entrance of major temples. Durga Puja comes every year with the message of communal harmony. We wish the devotees a happy Bijoya.
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