The Puja venues of Narayanganj are filled with the sounds of conch shells, brass instruments, and dholaks. Goddess Durga, Ganesha, Kartik, and other deities are adorned with various ornaments in nearly every Mandap (pavilion). Some are using bamboo rugs, while others are employing jute chalk to convey the message of environmental protection. However, the Sahapara Puja Mandap in the Tanbazar area of Narayanganj city has added a different dimension to Durga Puja this year.
The interior and exterior of the mandap have been decorated with over 300 charred sarees from the Bangabazar fire. The organizers of this Mandap mentioned that their unique initiative aims to assist the affected businessmen of Bangabazar.
It has been six months since the terrible fire in the capital's Bangabazar on April 4. In just a few hours, approximately Tk1,000 crore was lost by about 5,000 small and large businessmen. The Sahapara Puja Mandap in the Tanbazar area of Narayanganj city has been adorned with burnt sarees in memory of the tragedy, which continues to affect the traders to this day.
When visiting the Sahapara Mandap on Friday, you can observe the main gate, constructed using several pieces of burnt Benarasi sarees with red and blue-coloured kalki, flowers, and various designs at the entrance. Devi Durga's face is depicted on the upper part of the gate. Burn marks still remain on various sections of the pieces.
The interior of the Mandap, along with the entryway, showcases female figures created from Benarasi sarees and jute, symbolizing female power. The organizers also said that they prioritized women in this year's Durga Puja decoration to foster respect for marginalized and neglected women in society. In addition to this, they used jute chalk and earthenware to convey an environmental protection message.
In conversation with the organizers, it was learned that the Tanbazar Sahapara New Puja Committee of Narayanganj city was celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Every year, they convey the message of environmental protection to visitors through the mandap, using yarn, bamboo, clay pots, and paper flowers. However, this year, they decided to add a different twist. Originally, they planned to use the famous Jamdani of Narayanganj to add variety, but after the Bangabazar tragedy, they opted to use burnt Benarasi sarees from the affected traders instead of Jamdani. This action is a testament to their solidarity with the traders, and the organizers mentioned that they used over 300 sarees in the decoration.
Suman Saha, joint secretary of the Puja Committee, shared with the media: "We wanted to undertake a unique initiative on the occasion of our 20th anniversary. Initially, we had something else in mind, but after considering all aspects, we thought about the businessmen affected by the terrible fire in Bangabazar. We purchased over 300 burnt Benarasi sarees or pieces from them. Our aim is to support the traders to the best of our abilities."
Meanwhile, Saurabh Saha, another joint secretary of the Puja Committee, mentioned that black sarees were used, despite being traditionally associated with bad luck, as a tribute to the Bangabazar tragedy.
The entire mandap has been decorated by artist Rohan Khan Farhad, the owner of Event Touch, along with his associates, over the course of more than a month.
Goddess Durga's dress made of shitalpati to prevent environmental pollution
Visiting the Gopinath Jiour Akhra temple in the Minabazar area of Narayanganj city, you'll notice the Mandap adorned with Sitalpati, environmentally friendly and compostable products. Goddess Durga has been dressed in Sitalpati with various designs, while palm leaves, Sital mats, and palm leaves have been used to create jewellery. Small pieces of bamboo and bamboo radishes adorn the surroundings of the Mandap, and even the idols of Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, and Kartik are crafted from bamboo and cloth.
Abhi Kar Nayan, an artist responsible for the temple's decoration, said: "Our theme this time is to create eco-friendly idols. I have made all the work, including idols, ornaments, and the stage, environmentally friendly. Our goal was not to harm the environment. Sarees of Goddess Durga and other idols are also made of Sitalpati. Various designs are incorporated into the carpet. Normally, the idol's body is adorned with plastic materials, but we've used palm leaves, Sital mats, and palm leaves for the idol's ornaments, allowing them to easily biodegrade."
Abhi added that the work on this pavilion was completed with the collaborative efforts of students from the Narayanganj Arts Institute and members of the temple committee.
This year, for Durga Puja, 224 pavilions have been set up in Narayanganj district.
Sikhan Sarkar Shipan, general secretary of the District Puja Celebration Parishad, assured that security measures have been heightened in each Mandap, with monitoring via CCTV cameras. Narayanganj Superintendent of Police (SP) Golam Mostafa Russell explained that three levels of security have been implemented for the Puja celebrations, with uniformed police, RAB, and plainclothes law enforcement personnel patrolling the mandaps to prevent any untoward incidents.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chaudhuri Abdullah Al Mamun said that comprehensive security measures have been taken into account for the Puja celebrations. So far, there's no cause for alarm, and Sharadiya Durga Puja is proceeding peacefully throughout the country.
In reference to the BNP rally on October 28, the police chief mentioned that every political program would be carried out, with the Bangladesh Police prepared to protect people's lives, property, and government assets. They are ready to take necessary measures for this.
The Durga Puja festival began on October 20 with Mahashasthi. This year, the goddess has arrived on a horse and will depart on a horse. According to Hindu scriptures, the arrival and departure of horses are expected to increase social harmony.
