Maha Saptami, one of the main days of Sharadiya Durga Puja, is being celebrated at 628 mandaps across Brahmanbaria, with devotees offering prayers for their families, the country and the well-being of its people.
The celebrations began amid the sounds of drums, conch shells and bells, accompanied by the chanting of sacred mantras and traditional ululation.
According to Hindu rituals, devotees worshipped Goddess Durga through Shodashopachara, a set of 16 ritual offerings. The ceremonies included the invocation of the goddess, ritual bathing and the offering of garments, flowers, woodbel leaves, food and sandalwood paste. Devotees later offered pushpanjali, or floral prayers, at the feet of the goddess.
At the Kalaisreepra Town Sarbojanin Durga Puja Mandap in Brahmanbaria town, devotees Rakesh Roy, Bithi Saha, Shraboni Chakraborty and Shipra Biswas said they had offered flowers and bel leaves to the goddess and prayed for the well-being of their families.
They also sought blessings for the welfare of the country and its people.
Achintya Chakraborty, a priest at Brahmanbaria Dakshin Kalibari Temple, said the tradition of autumnal Durga Puja was associated with Lord Rama's worship of the goddess before his battle against Ravana. The worship is known as Akal Bodhan, or the untimely invocation of the goddess.
He also referred to the springtime worship performed by King Suratha in the hope of regaining his kingdom, which is known as Basanti Puja.
The priest said devotees had prayed for the fulfilment of their wishes and the well-being of their families, as well as for peace and harmony across the country.
The next major rituals will include Maha Ashtami Puja and Kumari Puja at various mandaps, followed by Sandhi Puja, according to the priest.
Meanwhile, the police administration has taken security measures at all Puja mandaps to ensure peaceful celebrations.
Brahmanbaria Superintendent of Police Md Jalal Uddin Fahim and district Ansar and VDP official Md Abu Saeed said plainclothes and uniformed police personnel, Ansar members and SRB personnel had been deployed at the mandaps.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has also been kept on standby to respond to any untoward incidents.
The celebrations are expected to draw people of all ages to the mandaps in the evening, when devotees will take part in traditional arati rituals.
