Bijoya Dashami, the final day of the Hindu community’s largest religious festival, Durga Puja, is being observed across Bangladesh on Wednesday, October 21, with idol immersion ceremonies marking the end of the festivities.
After days of celebration, devotees are gathering at temples and puja mandaps to bid farewell to Goddess Durga as she returns to Mount Kailash, according to Hindu tradition. The atmosphere is filled with both devotion and sadness as worshippers pray for the well-being of their families, society and the country.
According to the programmes announced by the Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee and Dhakeshwari National Temple, the prescribed Dashami puja rituals and mirror immersion ceremony were scheduled to be completed by 9:57am.
One of the main attractions of the day is Devi Baran, a farewell ritual, followed by Sindoor Khela. Married women apply vermilion to the goddess and offer sweets before bidding her farewell, praying for their husbands’ long lives and the well-being of their families. They then smear vermilion on one another’s faces and foreheads, sharing the festive moment through dancing, singing and sweets. Unmarried women and other devotees also join the celebrations.
The ceremonial welcome and farewell to the goddess was scheduled for 11:30am, followed by a voluntary blood donation programme at noon.
In the afternoon, a Bijoya procession and preparations for idol immersion are scheduled to begin. Led by the Mahanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee, the procession will start from Palashi intersection and proceed to Wiseghat in Sadarghat, where idol immersion is scheduled to begin at 3pm.
Considering security concerns, the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad has instructed organisers across the country to complete idol immersion before evening.
According to traditional beliefs, Goddess Durga arrived this year on horseback and will return to Kailash by boat.
The festival began with Mahalaya on October 10, followed by the main puja rituals beginning with Maha Shashthi on October 16. Maha Saptami was observed on October 17, followed by Ashtami and Sandhi Puja on October 19 and Navami on October 20.
This year, the government extended the Durga Puja holiday to three days through an executive order, following longstanding demands from the Hindu community. Combined with the regular Friday and Saturday weekend, the extended break created an opportunity for a five-day holiday from October 20 to 24.
Beyond its religious significance, Durga Puja is an integral part of Bangladesh’s cultural heritage and serves as an occasion for people of different faiths to come together in a spirit of communal harmony. Leaders of various social and political parties and organisations have extended greetings to members of the Hindu community on Bijoya Dashami.
Following the conclusion of Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja is scheduled for Sunday, October 25. Bijoya Sammilani will be held on November 6, while Shyama Puja and Diwali celebrations, including the lighting of a thousand lamps, are scheduled for November 8.