Barisal preparing for Durga Puja in 370 <i>mandops</i>
A sculptor making an idol of Goddess Durga for a mandop in Barisal city.Photo: STAR
Preparations for a five-day celebration of 'Sharodiya Durga Utsab', the main religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community, are going on in full swing in the city and other parts of the district. The festival will start on October 2 at 370 puja mandops (alter) of the district including 30 in the city. The puja will conclude with immersion of the idols and images of the deities in different rivers and canals amid greetings of 'Bijoya Dashami' on October 6. Already the sculptors have completed their preparatory work for making the protima (idols) in the puja mandops. Anil Pal of Pirojpur Palpara, one of the busy team leaders of sculptors of idols in Barisal city, said at least 5-8 people need 18-20 days for making a large 'protima' while the smaller ones take 15-16 days. The cost varies from Tk 15-25 thousand for makers as the materials are supplied by the mandop committee. Anil and his five-member team are making idols at Ramakrishna Mission, Banik Patty, Taltala and Katpotty puja mandops of the city. Advocate Dilip Ghosh and Suvas Chandra Das and advocate Swapan Dutta and Narayan Chandra Naru, presidents and secretaries of Barisal district and city Puja Udjapon Parishad, said the number of alters were 426 in 2008, while 355 in 2009 and 362 in 2010. This year Durga Puja would be observed in around 370 puja mandops in the district including 30 in Barisal city, they said. Sources said, Durga Puja would be held at 13 mandops in Sadar, 126 mandops in Agoiljhara, 65 in Gouranadi, 44 in Wazirpur, 26 in Bakerganj, 26 in Banaripara, 12 in Mehendiganj, 12 in Bauganj, 10 in Muladi and 06 mandops is Hizla upazilas this year. In the division, the number of Durga Puja mandops in likely to exceed 50, the leaders of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad said. The markers of best decorated mandops and sculptors of finest idols would be awarded prizes. They urged the people and administration to observe the festival peacefully maintaining law and order and upholding religious co-existence and harmony. Meanwhile, the district administration sources said that special financial grants would be allotted for puja mandops while special security, undisrupted electricity and water supply, traffic control arrangements would be made for the convenience of worshipers and visitors during the festival.
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