Chittagong in festive mood for Durga Puja

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, also known as Sharodiya (autumnal) Durgotsab, began this Saturday with the invocation (bohon) of the goddess Durga all over the country.
After celebrating Maha Saptami yesterday, Hindu devotees will celebrate Maha Ashtami today and during it they will take part in Sandhi Puja, an intregal part of Durga Puja which is performed at the juncture of the 8th and 9th day.
As a part of celebrating Durga Puja, Chittagong's puja mandaps have been decorated using colourful lights and in different themes.
A total of 230 puja mandaps, excluding some 30 private ones, have been set up in the port city this year.
“This year, we spent about Tk 15 lakh for our mandaps and we hope visitors, who are coming to see and pray there, will be pleased,” Goutam Hazari, secretary of the Hazari Lane Puja Udjapon Parishad told The Daily Star.
The puja mandaps are organising cultural programmes every day to entertain the devotees.
College student Shomita Devi said, “Durga Puja brings happiness and festive mood for all. I really enjoy the festival.”