City all set to welcome Goddess Durga

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, Sept 29:

Bengali Association of Aurangabad will celebrate the 46th Druga Puja festival in the city at Sagar Lawns, API Corner between October 1 and 5. The Pujo will be inaugurated by ministter of cooperation and OBC welfare Atul Save. Next day, union minister of state for finance Dr Bhagwat Karad will be present. Industrialist Rishi Bagla, commissioner of police Dr Nikhil Gupta and many other dignitaries will visit the venue.

Briefing the press, the president of the association Pritish Chaterjee said, the five-day festival is celebrated to commemorate the victory of good over evil as goddess Durga killed demon king Mahishasur. According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that the goddess visits her earthly abode, her paternal home during this time to bless her devotees. She brings along her children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya.

Celebrations and worship begin on Sasthi, the sixth day of Navratri. The celebrations end with Vijayadashami, when, amid loud chants and drumbeats, sacred images are carried in huge processions to local rivers, where they are immersed. That custom is symbolic of the departure of the deity to her home and to her husband, Shiva, in the Himalayas. Durga Puja holds great significance for the Bengali community and is the most important festival of the year.

Several esteemed guests and dignitaries will be present during the 5-day celebration.

On the last day on October 5, a Sindur Utsav will be organised when all married ladies pray to Durga Maa and apply Sindur to each other.

Every evening there will be a variety of cultural programs including an orchestra from Mumbai and the very traditional Dhunuchi Naach will be organised.

Vice presidents A K Sengupta, B K Bhowmik, general secretary Prabir Kumar Ghosh, treasurer Gagan Banerji, B K Goswami, A K Panja and others were present during the press meet.