Durga Puja 2018: Devotees pray for peace, progress and prosperity

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Praying for peace, progress and prosperity, the devotees of Lakhimpur district thronged the puja mandaps on Tuesday in order to worship Devi Durga on the occasion of Maha Saptami.

The 88 permitted puja mandaps and adjacent areas across the district were filled with the devotionally blended notes of Ya Devi sarba bhuteshu, other Durga Vandana as well as Durga strota (hymn), glorifying the victory of feminine force (Shakti), which philosophically represents the victory of good over the evil.

The worship of the Goddess Durga on the day began with pran pratisthan. It was followed by the rituals of bathing the Kala Bou, the plantain dressed like a newly-wed bride, before dawn. Then nine divine forms of the goddess, being represented by nine different types of plants, were worshipped following the tradition. Devotees were seen packed at Panchanan Dewalaya, Baithawati Aai Than, Ma Padumani Aai Than, Neel Dewalaya, the noted Devi peeths located under North Lakhimpur subdivision, and Sri Sri Iswari Harhi Dewalaya and Ma Manipuri Aai Than under Dhakuakhona subdivision. The Maha Astami Puja will be observed on Wednesday.

DEMOW: Devotees visited pandals to seek blessings from Goddess Durga in Demow and its surrounding areas. The peppy beats of the dhak livened up the festive mood. People were seen busy in buying balloons, teddy bears, playing guns and having delicious sweets.