Photo : BSS

KHULNA, Sept 21, 2025 (BSS) - With only six days left for the Durga Puja, last-minute preparations are in full swing with painting and decorating the idols at mandaps in the district.

This year, a total of 981 mandaps will host the festival in Khulna, including 120 in the city itself.

The formal festivities will commence on September 28 with the Maha Shashthi rituals and will end with the immersion of idols amid processions on October 2.

Ahead of the puja, shopping malls are bustling with devotees shopping for the celebrations.

Visiting several temples in the city, it was found that idol-making has already been completed. Artisans are now painting and decorating the idols.

Chandra Shekhar Paul, an idol maker at the Dharmashova Temple in the city, said that this year there are more mandaps compared to previous years.

"We received huge orders for idols this year. We started the clay work 10-15 days ago, and now we're in the last stage of painting," he said.

Chandra Shekhar said the costs of raw materials-clay, rope, straw, bamboo, and jute-needed to make the idols have increased.

"Five to eight workers are needed for 12-16 days to make a large idol, while smaller ones take around two weeks each to complete," he added.

Chandra Paul, who has been involved in the idol-making profession for over 28 years, has made 28 idols in the last two months for the current season and is working on seven more. Taka 60,000 to 70,000 are spent for each of the idols, he said.

He said that about one hundred Paul groups in Khulna are now busy making idols for mandaps, and they have already completed 80 percent of the work.

According to directives from the Ministries of Home Affairs and Religious Affairs, Ansar members will be on duty at each mandap throughout the festivities, alongside other law enforcement agencies.

Joint forces, including the army, navy, coast guard, and police, will strengthen patrols in the lead-up to and during the festival days.

Close-circuit cameras will be installed at the mandaps, and strict action will be taken against the spread of rumors or misinformation on social media, Khulna police said.

A control room will remain open round the clock at the KMP and Police Super office.

Khondokar Hossain Ahmad, Assistant Deputy Commissioner (Media) of KMP, said: "KMP will take adequate security measures ahead of Durga Puja. KMP will professionally cooperate and perform its duties with utmost sincerity and cordiality to ensure a smooth and peaceful Durga Puja."

He said all security measures have been taken during the making of idols, before and after the Durga Puja, as well as during the immersion of idols. He requested that the national emergency service 999 or the OC of the concerned police stations be informed if any untoward incident occurs.

Meanwhile, this year, the government has allocated 468.500 tonnes of rice for 937 Puja mandaps in all nine upazilas in the district.

According to the Disaster and Relief Department of Khulna Deputy Commissioner Office, 38,000 tonnes of rice was allotted for 76 puja mandaps in Koyra, 53,000 tonnes for 106 mandaps in Batiaghata, 49,000 tonnes for 98 mandaps in Terokhada, 30,500 tonnes for 61 mandaps in Dighalia, 37,500 tonnes for 75 mandaps in Rupsha, 17,000 tonnes for 34 mandaps in Fultala, 1,07,500 tonnes for 215 mandaps in Dumuria, 27,000 tonnes for 54 mandaps in Koyra, 71,000 tonnes for 142 mandaps in Paikgachha and 38,000 tonnes for 76 mandaps in the city.