Four-year-old Adriti De Gargi could not see the Durga idol through the crowd of adults. Noticing his daughter’s difficulty, her father, Nibas Dey Joy, lifted her onto his shoulders.
Gargi’s expression changed instantly. Delighted, she watched the idol from her father’s shoulders at the Kali Bari Puja Mandap in Cox’s Bazar town, where she had come to celebrate Durga Puja with her parents.
Joy said his own parents had taken him to see the festival in much the same way when he was a child.
“Our parents also used to lift us onto their shoulders to show us the idols. Now I have done the same for my daughter. She was very happy. I am also introducing her to our religion, and she is curious to learn about different things,” he said.
Gargi’s mother, Munmun Karmakar, said her daughter’s father lifted her when she couldn’t see the idol.
“My father also used to show me the idols in the same way,” she said.
For many parents visiting the puja mandaps with their children, Durga Puja is not only a time for celebration but also an opportunity to introduce the younger generation to religious traditions.
Parents like Nibas Dey Joy lifted their children onto their shoulders so that they could see the Durga Idols.
Four-year-old Adriti De Gargi could not see the Durga idol through the crowd of adults. Noticing his daughter’s difficulty, her father, Nibas De Joy, lifted her onto his shoulders.
Tourist couple Biplab Saha and his wife, Monika Saha, travelled from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar with their two children during the long Durga Puja holiday. They spoke about their visit at a puja mandap organised by the Paryatan Beach Puja Celebration Council near Laboni Point.
The couple said their children were still too young to fully understand Durga Puja’s religious significance. However, they were eager to see the idols and explore the different festival arrangements, asking questions about what they saw.
The parents said they tried to answer their children’s questions and explain the festival and its religious customs.
Durga Puja is one of the major religious festivals of the Hindu community. Alongside worshipping Goddess Durga at the mandaps, families come together to enjoy the celebrations.
For children, seeing the idols, admiring the decorations, and experiencing the festive atmosphere bring joy. For parents, the occasion also allows them to familiarise their children with their roots, culture, and religious heritage.
Gargi’s delight at seeing the idol on her father’s shoulders and the curiosity of the children visiting from Dhaka reflect how the joy and traditions of the festival are passed down from one generation to the next.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Photo: Abdu Rashid Manik
