In Panchgaon, located in the Rajnagar Upazila of Moulvibazar district, the worship of a unique, red-hued Goddess Durga-renowned throughout the subcontinent-takes place.
During the festival, hundreds of thousands of devotees from both within the country and abroad arrive to seek the Goddess’s blessings.
Hindus from Bangladesh India and various other parts of the world travel to this mandap (worship pavilion) in Panchgaon, accompanied by their families, to pay their respects to the Goddess.
Situated 5 kilometers north of the Rajnagar Upazila headquarters, next to the Panchgaon Union Parishad office, the mandap is kept under constant supervision to ensure security and order.
A large team consisting of over a hundred law enforcement personnel has been deployed, and CCTV cameras have been installed. In addition to the police, members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) are also conducting patrols.
This year, Durga Puja will be celebrated at 82 public and 55 private mandaps (worship venues) across Rajnagar Upazila. A sum of 2 lakh taka in cash and 50 tonnes of rice was allocated for the Upazila.
Meanwhile, at the Panchgaon mandap in Rajnagar-where a ‘Red Durga’ (Lal Durga) deity is worshipped-people from various parts of the country have gathered Judges, ministers, Members of Parliament, figures from the film industry, and leaders from various political parties visit this place, exchanging pleasantries with the general public A fair is held alongside the mandap (worship pavilion), featuring over 400 stalls offering a wide variety of goods-most notably furniture, toys, books, and sweets.
The volume of trade exceeds several million taka in celebration of the Puja, the mandaps across the upazila and their surrounding areas are decorated in a vibrant, colorful manner.
To maintain law and order, the police administration has implemented extensive security measures at every puja mandap.
There will be police and Ansar personnel present, along with our own volunteers. CCTV surveillance will also be in place. Regarding the red-hued Durga idol in Panchgaon, there is a legend that dates back about three hundred years.
Sarvananda Das-who held the official designation of ‘Munshi’ under the government of that time-decided to perform ‘Kumari Puja’ (worship of a young girl) during Durga Puja at his home in the Sivasagar district of Assam, involving his wife and staff.
With the assistance of the temple caretaker, Sarvananda Das selected a five-year-old girl for the ritual.
On the day of Mahashtami, after spending six long hours worshipping a young girl (kumari)-revering her as the Divine Mother (Bhagavati)-Sarvananda Das witnessed an extraordinary phenomenon as he bowed down to offer his salutations: the complexion of the girl transformed, turning a deep red.
Upon seeing this, he asked the Divine Mother, “Mother, has my worship been accepted and blessed?” The Divine Mother replied, “Yes, your worship has attained fruition (siddhi).
It was in this very form that I manifested at the puja mandap in your native village, Panchgaon. From now on, you shall worship the Divine Mother in this red-hued form.” The following year, Sarvananda Das [returned to] his own village, Panchgaon They organised the Sharadiya Puja.
The idol of the Mother Goddess was painted in a red hue, matching the complexion of the kumari (the young girl worshipped as a manifestation of the Goddess).
Continuing this tradition, the Durga Puja is still celebrated today at their mandap (worship pavilion) with a red-colored idol, under the overall supervision of Sanjay Das, a descendant of Sarvananda Das.
Bipul Sikdar, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Rajnagar, stated that stringent security measures have been implemented for the Durga Puja. Special arrangements have been made around all the mandaps, including the one at Panchgaon.
Security measures and CCTV systems have been put in place. A control room has been set up at the Upazila Parishad for monitoring purposes. The Puja festivities are proceeding peacefully.