Devotees are busy completing final preparations for Durga Puja, painting idols and decorating pandals across the district.
While men and women share responsibilities in most places, women have taken full charge of Durga Puja arrangements at Solemanpur Sahapara under Kotchandpur upazila in Jhenaidah.
They handle everything, from hiring decorators and dressing idols to buying supplies, inviting priests, hosting guests and painting temple walls.
At the Sahapara temple, idols of Goddess Durga alongside Ganesha, Kartikeya, and Saraswati have been freshly painted and adorned.
Freshly plucked flowers for worship lie gathered around the Tulsi plant in the temple courtyard, while local women carrying paint buckets are busy drawing traditional artwork and applying paint to the temple walls.
Others are simultaneously engaged in setting up decorations, purchasing market supplies, entertaining visitors, and sweeping the temple grounds.
With only a few days remaining before the core rituals begin, devotees are immersed in preparations to welcome Goddess Durga.
This marks the second consecutive year that women are organising the Puja at this temple entirely on their own initiative.
Traditionally, men were at the centre of organising the festival; however, after men repeatedly failed to hold the Puja for several consecutive years prior to 2025, the women of Solemanpur Sahapara united to form an all-female organisation named ‘Nabaran Mahila Sangha’.
Local resident Hari Prasad Saha said the Sahapara temple had celebrated Durga Puja since the British era. The temple, once without a permanent structure, now has brick walls and a tin roof.
Although men managed the annual celebrations for decades, the Puja was suspended for several consecutive years prior to 2025, creating discontent among the local Hindu community.
In response to the hiatus, local women established Nabaran Mahila Sangha to revive the event.
Women go door-to-door across the neighbourhood to collect donations and save money individually throughout the year to fund the festival—an initiative Hari Prasad Saha described as truly commendable.
The initiative has drawn curiosity and admiration from nearby areas.
Saiful Islam, a resident of neighbouring Alampur village, said he visited the temple after hearing about the all-women effort and was impressed by their dedication, hard work, and sincerity in managing everything from market shopping to hiring priests and decorators.
Despite their success, the organisers face financial challenges due to rising inflation.
Pooja Rani Saha, treasurer of Nabaran Mahila Sangha, noted that the cost of idol decoration equipment and essential Puja items has increased significantly compared to previous years.
She said the funds collected from local households remain insufficient to meet the total expense, urging local administration and government authorities to extend greater financial cooperation.
Kabita Rani Saha, general secretary of the Sangha, emphasised the determination of local women.
She explained that when men failed to sustain the Puja, women convened a meeting to form the organisation and elect an executive committee.
Baby Rani Saha, president of Nabaran Mahila Sangha, acknowledged that the journey was initially difficult and faced discouragement from some quarters, but the sincerity of local women ensured success for a second consecutive year.
She added that while women lead all core tasks and purchasing, local men offer advice and assistance where needed.
Furthermore, local administration maintains regular communication with the committee, ensuring a peaceful and satisfactory environment similar to last year’s festive celebrations.
