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Dussehra and Durga Puja celebrations observed across India and Bangladesh
The festivals of Dussehra (Vijayadashami) and Durga Puja are being celebrated across South Asia, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. In India, various traditions are being observed, including the symbolic burning of Ravana effigies. In Delhi, actor Yami Gautam participated in Ravan Dahan ceremonies, while in Punjab, Union Home Minister Amit Shah burned a symbolic effigy representing the drug trade, pledging to make Punjab drug-free by 2029.
In Bangladesh, the Sharadiya Durga Puja concludes with Bijoya Dashami. Devotees are participating in immersion rituals for Goddess Durga idols and the traditional Sindur Khela, where married women apply vermilion to the goddess and each other. In Dhaka, large crowds have gathered at various mandaps and along the Buriganga River for the final farewell rituals.
Regional leaders have extended greetings, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who urged citizens to draw inspiration from Lord Rama to achieve a developed and self-reliant India. Chief Ministers in Telangana, Odisha, and Uttarakhand also issued messages emphasizing the values of truth, righteousness, and the overcoming of internal negativity.
Entities
Amit Shah · Ayodhya · Droupadi Murmu · Durga Puja · Goddess Durga · Gorakhnath Temple · Gujarat Police · India · Lord Ram · Lord Rama · Mohan Charan Majhi · Narendra Modi
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A total of 33,851 puja mandaps have been set up in Bangladesh this year.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The number of puja mandaps in Bangladesh increased by nearly 1,500 compared to last year.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] According to the Bengali Durga Puja calendar, Maha Navami falls on October 20, 2026.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami are both scheduled to occur on October 19, 2026.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Cuttack, Odisha, features 38 silver tableaux known as Chandi Medhas. www.devdiscourse.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Latasil Durga Puja Committee celebrated its 50th year with a Kedarnath Temple-inspired pandal in Guwahati. www.devdiscourse.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Devotees across India gathered at temples and pandals for Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami prayers. www.devdiscourse.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi visited Durga Puja pandals in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately 33,851 pujas are being organized across Bangladesh this year.