Photo : BSS

KHULNA, Oct 1, 2025 (BSS) - Maha Navami, the fourth day of the Sharadiya Durga Puja, was celebrated today with traditional rituals, devotion, and festivity at temples and makeshift mandaps across Khulna city and district.

Devotees offered puja, anjali, and symbolic sacrifices of pumpkins, bananas, and cucumbers to Goddess Durga, seeking blessings on this auspicious day.

This year, the festival is being observed at 981 mandaps, including 120 in Khulna city, under strict security arrangements to ensure peaceful celebrations.

In the morning, devotees gathered in large numbers at temples and mandaps to offer Maha Navami puja, marking one of the most spiritually significant and visually vibrant days of the five-day Durga Puja celebration. As the festival nears its end, temples witnessed the highest turnout of worshippers and visitors today.

A major highlight of the day was the Dhunuchi Naach, a traditional devotional dance performed with earthen pots filled with burning incense and charcoal. The rhythmic beats of dhak-dhol (traditional drums), the chanting of mantras, and the blowing of conch shells created a festive and spiritual ambiance.

On Maha Navami, Goddess Durga is worshipped as Mahisasuramardini, the slayer of the buffalo demon Mahishasura. It is believed that on this day, the goddess vanquished the demon, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.

Navami rituals followed the traditional sequence of mantra recitations, and offerings of fruits, sweets, incense, and lamps. In some temples, animal sacrifices were also performed as part of customary offerings to the goddess.

Mandaps and temples across Khulna were gorgeously decorated and illuminated, with some themed pandals reflecting various aspects of life, mythology, and religious narratives.

Recitations from the Sri Sri Chandi, along with other devotional songs and rituals, have been ongoing since Friday, and will continue until the immersion of idols on Bijaya Dashami, which falls tomorrow, October 2.

On the final day, morning puja and Darpan Bisarjan will be performed before the ceremonial idol immersion.

Major puja mandaps in Khulna city include Sonapotti Borobazar, Arya Dharmashava, Sree Sree Shitalabari, and Shibbari areas.

Meanwhile, senior officials and leaders from various political parties and professional bodies, including the Divisional Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, KMP Commissioner, and DIG of Khulna Range, visited several mandaps today to extend greetings and monitor the festive arrangements.