In 2025, Durga Puja in Dhaka, Bangladesh, will be celebrated with great enthusiasm, following the traditional schedule based on the Hindu lunar calendar. Here are the key dates for the major rituals:
২০২৫ দুর্গা পূজা
* **Mahalaya:** Sunday, September 21, 2025
* **Maha Panchami:** Saturday, September 27, 2025
* **Maha Shashthi ( কল্পারম্ভ ):** Sunday, September 28, 2025 - The formal commencement of the puja rituals.
* **Maha Saptami ( নবপত্রিকা স্থাপন ও পূজা ):** Monday, September 29, 2025 - The installation of the Nabapatrika (nine plants representing the goddess) and the beginning of the main puja.
* **Maha Ashtami ( কুমারী পূজা ও সন্ধিপূজা ):** Tuesday, September 30, 2025 - Kumari Puja (worship of young girls as the goddess) and the auspicious Sandhi Puja at the juncture of Ashtami and Navami.
* **Maha Navami ( দুর্গা বলি ও হোম ):** Wednesday, October 1, 2025 - Offering of sacrifices (symbolic in many modern celebrations) and the Navami Homa (fire ritual).
* **Vijaya Dashami ( প্রতিমা বিসর্জন ও বিজয়া ):** Thursday, October 2, 2025 - The immersion of the Durga idols, symbolizing the goddess's return to her heavenly abode, followed by the exchange of greetings and sweets.
**Significance of Durga Puja:**
Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava, is a significant Hindu festival that reveres Goddess Durga and celebrates her victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. This victory symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. The festival also celebrates the divine feminine power (Shakti) and the homecoming of Goddess Durga to her natal home with her children. In Bengal, these deities (Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik, and Ganesh) are considered Durga's children.
**Rituals Observed During Durga Puja:**
Durga Puja involves a series of intricate rituals performed over several days. Some of the key rituals include:
* **Kalparambha:** The initial rituals marking the beginning of the Durga Puja.
* **Bodhon:** The awakening of the goddess.
* **Amantran and Adhivas:** Inviting and welcoming the goddess.
* **Nabapatrika Puja:** Worshipping the nine plants symbolizing different forms of Durga.
* **Pushpanjali:** Offering flowers to the goddess with devotional prayers.
* **Aarti:** The waving of lamps before the idol, accompanied by chanting and music.
* **Kumari Puja:** Worshipping young girls as representations of the goddess.
* **Sandhi Puja:** A special and powerful ritual performed at the meeting point of Ashtami and Navami.
* **Dhunuchi Nach:** A traditional dance performed with incense burners to the rhythm of drums.
* **Sindoor Khela:** Married women smear vermilion on the goddess's idol and each other as a symbol of good fortune and solidarity on Vijaya Dashami.
* **Visarjan:** The immersion of the idol in a river or other water body, marking the end of the festival.
In Dhaka, you can expect vibrant celebrations with beautifully decorated pandals (temporary structures housing the idols), cultural programs, and the enthusiastic participation of devotees. The main puja days, from Shashthi to Vijaya Dashami, will be filled with religious observances, community gatherings, and festive cheer.
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