Bijoya Dashami today: Durga Puja ends in farewell mood with idol immersion, procession from Dhakeshwari to Sadarghat
Today is Bijoya Dashami of the Sharodiya Durga Puja. With the immersion of idols, the formalities of the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community are coming to an end. Across the country, pavilions carry a mood of farewell today, with the sadness of the festival's end in devotees' eyes.
The biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, the Sharodiya Durga Puja, began on October 16 with Shashthi Puja. After Saptami, Ashtami and Mahanabami in turn, Bijoya Dashami is being observed today.
Yesterday, on the occasion of Mahanabami, various Puja pavilions in the capital Dhaka saw overflowing crowds of devotees and visitors. Throughout the day the pavilions were thronged with people, worship and a festive atmosphere.
On Mahanabami, devotees offered anjali at the feet of the goddess and received prasad. It was this participation of devotees that kept the pavilions lively all day.
After the evening arati, a mood of farewell began. From the evening of Mahanabami itself, pavilions began to feel that the festival was drawing to a close.
Today, on Bijoya Dashami, devotees will bid farewell to Goddess Durga through the immersion of idols. With that, all the formalities of this year's Durga festival will end.
On the occasion of Bijoya Dashami, leaders of various political parties, including the BNP, and social and cultural organisations, have greeted members of the Hindu community. On this final day of the festival, messages of harmony have come from various quarters.
Meanwhile, before the immersion on Bijoya Dashami, a procession will set out from the Dhakeshwari National Temple. This procession is at the centre of the capital's immersion programme.
The procession will travel through various roads of the capital and reach Sadarghat. There, with the immersion of idols, the capital's central programme will conclude.
From Shashthi to Dashami, throughout this five-day festival, pavilions saw worship, anjali, distribution of prasad and crowds of visitors. Today's immersion brings that sequence to a close.
Each day of the Durga festival has its own rituals. Beginning on Shashthi, passing through Saptami and Ashtami, reaching the biggest crowds of devotees on Mahanabami, and then arriving at the farewell on Dashami — this sequence is the familiar picture of the Sharodiya Puja, and this year was no exception.
The central picture of today in Dhaka is the procession from the Dhakeshwari National Temple. Starting from the temple, travelling through various roads of the city and reaching Sadarghat, the immersion follows at the end of this journey, so the capital's attention remains on this programme throughout the day.
For devotees, Bijoya Dashami is a day of both joy and farewell. This ritual of bidding farewell to the goddess is the final chapter of the Durga festival every year.
Once today's immersion is over, this year's Sharodiya Durga Puja will formally end. The pavilions will return to their normal appearance, and devotees will wait for next year's festival.
