Maha Ashtami celebrated at a Puja Mandap at Bagmara Temple in Khulna today. Photo: BSS

KHULNA, Sept 30, 2025 (BSS) - Maha Ashtami, the third day of five-day Sharadiya Durga Puja, has been celebrated today at different temples across Khulna.

Since the morning, devotees performed puja and distributed prashad among attendees at different temples and makeshift Puja pandals.

While visiting city's Sree Sree Shitalabari Puja mandaps at Dolkhola area today, this correspondent found hundreds of devotees poured in to perform puja followed by anjali in the morning.

Sandhi Puja began at 11:00am and ended midday at all puja mandaps in Khulna.

Besides, the Sanatan community celebrated Kumari Puja on 'Maha Ashtami' today, worshipping goddess Durga in the form of a 'Kumari' - a pure-hearted girl and the virgin form of the deity, with due religious fervor. 

Devotees thronged the Nabatorun Sangha puja mandap at Glaxor Mor by offering water, clothes, flowers, and gold and silver ornaments at the feet of the 'Kumari'. 

Sanaton people of all ages, specially young girls and women, dressed in traditional attire, participated enthusiastically in the Kumari Puja.\

City unit Puja Udjapan Parishad general secretary Prashanda Kundu told BSS that goddess Durga has been worshipped in various forms, including Kumari, for time immemorial. 

The Durga Puja has added some extra hue to the city. Temples and mandaps have been illuminated and decorated gorgeously marking the puja as some puja pandals were portrayed in different theme signifying different aspects of life and religious stories. 

Meanwhile, Khulna Divisional Commissioner and Administrator of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Md Firoz Sarkar, Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner (KMP) Zulfiqar Ali Haider and Superintendent of district police T M Mossarraf Hossain visited different puja mandaps.

Besides, General Secretary of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Prof Mia Golam Parwar, Student Affairs Secretary of BNP Rakibul Islam Bakul, Information Affairs Secretary Azizul Bari Helal, including parliament member aspirants in all 6 constituencies of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolon Bangladesh and other political parties also visited different puja mandaps in their respective areas and extended their greetings.