HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Bangalee Samity's Durga Puja celebrations got off to a grand start on Monday with the organisation marking the 80th year of the festivities. The celebrations, this year, as in the past, are being held on its premises at Lower Tank Bund, and will conclude on October 15 on Vijayadashami, the Samity said.
The festivities, it said, would be celebrated keeping the Covid-19 safety protocols as per government regulations.
The Samity said in the 80th year of its Durga Puja, cultural programmes being organised as part of the celebrations would be live-streamed. Famous artistes from Mumbai and Kolkata would be performing music shows, dance and dramas.
The organisation said all rituals of the Durga Puja were being performed by priests and scholars from Kolkata. Puja days are strictly observed according to the Hindu calendar and prayers are offered on the four main days. Bhog is offered to the Goddess and the prasadam is distributed among all devotees on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami days as annadanam.
It was in 1942, for the first time, a group of Bengalis came together and performed Ghot puja of Durga under the aegis of Hyderabad Bangalee Samity, with the organisation soon becoming the cultural hub of all the Bengalis living in the city.
Over the decades, the number of Durga Puja mandaps has increased to around 60 in Hyderabad and Secunderabad with nearly 6.5 lakh Bengalis in the twin cities celebrating the festival.
