Saraswati Puja tomorrow

Saraswati Puja, worshipping the Goddess of knowledge, music, art and culture, will be celebrated across the country tomorrow amid much enthusiasm, festivity and religious fervour by members of the Hindu community.

Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, in a message, greeted members of the Hindu community on the occasion of Saraswati Puja.

Saraswati Puja, or Basant Panchami, falls on the Panchami Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Magha each year, when Hindus worship Goddess Saraswati.

Traditionally, children are introduced to education and learning on the day of Saraswati Puja, and this ritual is called "Hatekhori".

Toddlers are usually given a slate and chalk to scribble with on the auspicious day.

Major Hindu temples and Hindu students in schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions stage the festival with traditional gaiety and religious fervour.

Students, in particular, seek the blessings of Goddess Saraswati in their pursuit of knowledge, art, music and culture.

In most temples, houses and educational institutions, the Puja will begin in the morning, to be followed by the offering of "anjali".

Then the children will be imparted "Hatekhori" (introduction to learning).

Later, prasad will be distributed among devotees.

According to the Hindu faith, Goddess Saraswati represents power, creativity and inspiration, and presents herself when the weather is pleasant, and nature is in its full grandeur.

Depicted as a graceful woman with a crescent moon adorning her brow, she is shown riding a swan or a peacock, or seated on a lotus flower.

The most gorgeous Saraswati Puja will be arranged on the premises of Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University, where a huge number of devotees and crowds will throng to perform religious rituals and visit the pandals set up on the playground of the university's largest dormitory.

Jagannath Hall Provost Debashis Pal told BSS that students from as many as 74 departments are arranging 74 puja pandals this year.

He said all-out preparations have been taken to hold the festival with enthusiasm and festivity, while law enforcement agencies have also taken required security measures to avert any untoward incident.

A cultural ceremony will be arranged on Saturday, the day after the Puja, at the Jagannath Hall ground.

Priest of Jagannath Hall Mandir, Sadhan Chakrabarty, said the Puja will begin at 9 am tomorrow at the Upashanalay, to be followed by the offering of anjali by devotees from 10 am in several rounds.

Puja will also be arranged at Dhakeshwari National Temple, Ram Krishna Mission, Jagannath University, Siddheswari Temple, Supreme Court premises, Farashganj, Shakhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar and different other places in Old Dhaka, Banani, Dhaka College, Eden Girls' College, BUET, Ramna Kali Mandir and Maa Anandamayi Ashram, Tejgaon College and various educational institutions in the city.

On the Dhaka University campus, the Puja is also organised at all female dormitories – Rokeya Hall, Samsun Nahar Hall, Bangladesh Kuwait Maitree Hall, Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall and Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall.

Jagannath Hall administration is organising the dormitory's central Puja at the dormitory's Upashanalay, while employees of the hall are also arranging Saraswati Puja.

The Faculty of Fine Arts will erect a gigantic Saraswati idol made of cork sheet, bamboo and other materials at the centre of a pond on the hall premises, as every year, which attracts the highest number of devotees as well as visitors.

Apart from Dhaka, Saraswati Puja is also celebrated at temples, educational institutions and residences across the country.

Chattogram city and Madaripur district town see the biggest celebrations of Saraswati Puja every year.