At Dhaka University’s Jagannath Hall, Saraswati Puja this year unfolded in a familiar palette of colour, devotion and festivity, but with an unmistakable edge of dissent.
Observed on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of Magh, Saraswati Puja honours the goddess of knowledge, wisdom and learning. Yet at several puja mandaps in Jagannath Hall, worship extended beyond ritual, taking the form of symbolic protest against recent attacks, intimidation and repression faced by the media.
At the mandap of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, the theme was overt. Burnt newspapers and broken pens stood as stark symbols of silenced voices and denied justice. A nameplate reading “Daily Journalism Gazette” represented the collective identity of the media, while cracked glass and scarred walls behind the idol evoked violence against journalists.
The protest expanded beyond journalism. A broken harmonium referenced attacks on cultural organisations such as Udichi and Chhayanaut, while the goddess was depicted holding an ektara instead of the traditional veena – a quiet response to violence against Baul singers.
“Amid growing chaos, mob violence and the absence of the rule of law, we wanted to express our protest against media repression through this puja,” organiser Rahee Nayab told TIMES.
A total of 76 mandaps were set up, including the central puja organised by the hall administration, with students from 74 departments and institutes participating. Pushpanjali (the offering of flowers) was offered from 9am to 11am on Friday, followed by distribution of proshad (sacred food or items consecrated to a deity).
The grounds were crowded with students and visitors dressed in sarees and panjabis, reflecting Bangla culture and communal harmony, as people from different religions joined the celebrations.
Hall authorities said the scale of the event has turned Jagannath Hall’s Saraswati Puja into one of the largest of its kind. Security was jointly maintained by the university administration, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, NSI, Shahbagh Police Station and the Fire Service.
Entertainment and food stalls added to the atmosphere, while sound systems filled the field. “Decorating the mandaps according to our subjects has made the puja livelier and more meaningful,” said Tapu Bosak, a second-year Geography and Environment student.
Artisans were also at work. Dishu Pal, who has been crafting idols for Jagannath Hall for over a decade, said decoration costs ranged from Tk10,000 to Tk35,000 or more.
Cultural programmes and concerts are scheduled for today, featuring bands such as Sonar Bangla Circus and Gaanpoka. For many visitors, the puja was both celebration and reflection.
