Durga Festival Ends in Sylhet Division With Immersion in the Surma, 445 Mandaps Celebrate Peacefully in Sunamganj

The Durga Puja, the biggest festival of the Hindu community, has ended in Sylhet Division with the immersion of idols in the Surma River. In Sylhet, the idol of Goddess Durga was immersed in the Surma amid an air of sadness. In Sunamganj too, the festival concluded peacefully with immersion in the same river.

In Sunamganj, idols from different mandaps were gathered one by one at the Balu Math in the district town at 5pm. They were then immersed from the River View Ghat of the municipal town into the Surma, including the idols of Durga, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Kartik and Ganesh. With drums beating and devotees gathered, the ghat area carried a festive yet emotional mood.

Law enforcement agencies ensured several layers of security for the immersion. Police and other forces were on duty at the ghat and surrounding areas so devotees could complete the rituals without disruption.

Present at the immersion were Sunamganj-4 MP Advocate Nurul Islam Nurul, Superintendent of Police ABM Zakir Hossain, District Puja Udjapan Parishad president Advocate Gouranga Pada Das, general secretary Bipresh Kumar Roy Bappi and leaders of different Hindu organisations.

This year Durga Puja was celebrated at a total of 445 mandaps across Sunamganj's 12 upazilas. Every mandap drew crowds of devotees and visitors, and the puja days carried a festive mood across the district.

Hindu devotees thanked the government as the puja was completed without any untoward incident. They also mentioned the cooperation of the administration, law enforcement agencies and local people behind the peaceful celebrations.

In Sylhet city as well, Goddess Durga was bidden farewell with immersion in the Surma River. Countless devotees gathered at the ghats in a mix of the sadness of immersion and the emotion of Bijoya. The farewell rituals ended with the promise of a year's wait and the hope of her return next year.

Every year, all four districts of Sylhet Division see large celebrations around Durga Puja. Lighting, cultural programmes and religious rituals fill the puja days at mandap after mandap. On immersion day, that joy mixes with the emotion of farewell, as seen this year too at ghat after ghat on the Surma.

After the immersion, devotees exchanged Bijoya greetings with one another. Mandap committees thanked everyone who cooperated in the peaceful celebrations. The administration also expressed satisfaction that the whole festival ended peacefully.

With this, this year's Sharodiya Durga festival has formally concluded in Sylhet Division. Devotees returned home with the expectation that Goddess Durga will arrive again next year with the same enthusiasm.