Actress Nazia Haque Orsha has embraced a distinctive interpretation of Goddess Durga for this year’s Durga Puja, blending traditional festive attire with the culture and landscapes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
The popular small-screen actress surprised fans with a series of photographs that present her in a symbolic form of the goddess, drawing inspiration from the lives and strength of women in the hills.
Durga Puja celebrations began with Maha Shashthi on Friday, 16 October, followed by Maha Saptami. The five-day festivities will conclude on Wednesday with Bijoya Dashami.
While celebrities across the entertainment industry are marking the festival in their own ways, Orsha has chosen an approach that combines the familiar imagery of Durga Puja with a visual tribute to hill communities.
She appears in a red saree, wearing a traditional Bengali topor and shakha-pola bangles. The photographs, however, stand apart through their settings and additional elements.
Captured at different locations in Bandarban, they show Orsha holding the face of an idol, carrying a thruং on her back, sharing warm moments with members of hill communities and posing with a trident in a powerful, defiant stance.
Photographer Mohammad Nazmul Hossain’s team, Mr Momentwala, created the special photoshoot, titled ‘Paharer Nari Shakti O Durga’ (Women’s Strength in the Hills and Durga).
Hossain has organised similar Durga Puja-themed shoots every year. This year, Satkahon supported the project.
The series celebrates the strength of women through the symbolic figure of Durga while drawing attention to the cultural setting and everyday lives of women in the hills.
The photographs have received widespread praise on social media, with several fellow artistes also expressing their admiration.
Actor Chanchal Chowdhury called the work “wonderful”, while director Chayanika Chowdhury described it as “extremely beautiful”. Actress Sushama Sarkar commented “Maa Durga”, and Shahnoaz Khushi wrote “beautiful”.
Through the photoshoot, Orsha has offered a fresh visual interpretation of the festive season, bringing together the symbolism of Durga and the strength of women in the hills.
