RAJSHAHI, Oct 22, 2023 (BSS) - People of the Hindu community here today celebrated their Moha Astami of the five-day Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the community, amid great enthusiasm and festive mood.
 
The religious festival was marked by kumari puja, arati, recitation from scriptures, distribution of proshad, offering devotional songs and bhajans.
 
A large number of devotees both male and female are seen visiting different puja mandaps to have a look at the decorated goddess Durga today.
 
The Durgotsob is being celebrated in 3,573 puja mandaps in all eight districts under the Rajshahi division in addition to 101 in Rajshahi city amid tight security measures.
 
Each of the puja mandaps was given 500 kilograms of rice on behalf of the respective district administrations for smooth celebration of the puja in the division this year.
 
Shyamal Kumar Ghosh, Rajshahi city unit general secretary of Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, told BSS that the Durga Puja is being celebrated in a festive mood.
 
Decorations of temples, lighting and setting up of mandaps have already turned the city into a festive look, he added.
 
Members of Parliament, administrative and police officials and local government representatives visited many of the Puja Mandaps today and exchanged their pleasantries with the devotees.
 
The celebration will end through the immersion of idols of goddess Durga on Bijoya Dashami on Wednesday.
 
Meanwhile, foolproof security measures were taken in the city and its adjacent areas to avert any untoward incident during the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.
 
"We have adopted tight security measures to make the Rajshahi city's Durga puja celebration festive and successful," said Biplob Bijoy Talukder, commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.
 
Police administration of all the respective areas have chalked out necessary security measures to make the celebration a success, he added.
 
Officers-in-Charge of the police stations were asked to keep close contact with the puja committees round the clock.
 
Members of law enforcement agencies have been deployed at all the important points of the city.
 
Anisur Rahman, deputy inspector general of police, said three-tier security measures have been adopted everywhere in the division.