Hindus in Bangladesh are celebrating Saraswati Puja, paying their obeisance to the goddess of wisdom, learning, fine and performing arts, and seeking recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and a safe environment for education.
The puja, performed on the Vasant Panchami day every year, is celebrated across the country, mostly in educational institutions, where Hindu devotees and students seek the blessings of Ma Saraswati.
Depicted as a graceful woman with a crescent moon adorning her brow, Saraswati, a mythological consort of Lord Brahma, is shown riding a swan or a peacock, or is seated on a lotus flower.
On this auspicious day, Hindu children are also given their first lessons in reading and writing, reports bdnews24.com.
In the capital, Saraswati Puja has been a tradition at Dhakeswari Temple, Siddheswari Temple, Ram-Krishna Mission, the Supreme Court premises, Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University, Dhaka College, Eden Girls' College and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
This year’s celebrations were muted as educational institutions are closed and the government imposed pandemic restrictions to curb infections caused by the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
Jagannath Hall is traditionally considered the largest Saraswati Puja venue in Bangladesh. Students from various departments of the university made arrangements for the puja on the hall playground this year.
The hall authorities organised the puja in compliance with the government's health and safety guidelines after a two-year gap due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Students of Rokeya Hall, Shamsun Nahar Hall, Sufia Kamal Hall and Bangladesh Kuwait Moitri Hall have also made arrangements to celebrate the puja this year.
The celebration of the puja started through Bani Archana at 9 am on Saturday at Jagannath Hall. Pushpanjali and other rituals of the puja were held afterwards.
People from all walks of life, including the teachers and students of the university, celebrated the puja at Jagannath Hall. The family members of many students also joined them.
"We are fortunate to have central arrangements after a two-year gap despite the closure of the university. We decided to hold the event as residential halls are open. My friends from other halls of the university also joined us to celebrate the puja. It's a festival for all of us," said Nirod Kumar Barman, a student of the university who resides at Jagannath Hall.
"I prayed for a quick recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and a safe environment at educational institutes," said Nipu Roy, another student of the university.
"My school is closed but I miss my friends. It's also difficult to study at home. I prayed to the goddess for the reopening of my school," said Anu Megha Roy, a school student from the capital's Rampura area.
Anu's mother Srabanti Roy also prayed for the well-being of her child.