RAJSHAHI, Oct 17, 2020 (BSS) – The preparation for celebrating the forthcoming Durga Puja, the largest religious festival for the Hindu community, is going on in full swing everywhere in the division.
The works of decorating and painting idols and puja mandaps are being made with much enthusiasm ahead of the festival.
Idol makers commonly known as Pauls are passing their busy days with the finishing touch to the idols of Hindu deities. With only a week left, the Pauls are working round the clock to make sure that the idols are ready in time.
Kartik Paul, who is involved in idol-making profession for over 24 years, has made 34 idols in the last two months and has been working for some others at present. Taka 30,000 to 60,000 are spent for making each of the idols, he said.
He said that about one hundred Paul community people in Rajshahi are now busy with making idols for mandaps and they have already completed 80 percent works.
Swapon Ghosh, a devotee who supervises a puja mandap in Kumarpara area of the city, informed that preparations for the upcoming Durga Puja are on the final stage.
Shyamal Kumar Ghosh, Rajshahi city unit general secretary of Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, told BSS that the Durga Puja will be celebrated in a festive mood here.
Decorations of temples, lighting, and setting up of mandaps are expected to turn the city into a festive look within the next couple of days, he added.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Abdul Baten told BSS that 3,419 puja mandaps will be set up in all eight districts under the division as 87 in Rajshahi city this year during the puja to be held from October 22 to 26.
Each of the puja mandaps was given 500 kilograms of rice on behalf of the respective district administrations.
Police administration of all the respective areas has already taken elaborate security measures to ensure smooth and peaceful celebration, Baten said.
“We have adopted tight security measures to make the Rajshahi city’s durga puja celebration festive and successful,” said Abu Kalam Siddique, Commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.