Puja Mandaps: Still haunted by last year’s horrors

Bomb-disposal squads, armed police protection, and repeated government assurances of a "peaceful" Durga Puja were there but the shadows of last year's traumatic puja descend like a chill on this year's festivities.

Even as the temples attacked last year have restrung their fairy lights, reinstated their glittering idols, and devotees pray to the beat of dhaaks, some ghosts remain.

Last year's havoc began at the Durga Puja celebration of Nanua Dighir Par in Cumilla, and the first blow was felt by the idols in that mandap.

Shamol Saha, a resident of Nanua Dighir Par, said, "Last year the incident happened on the day of Ashtami. As the idols were vandalised and a mob of hundreds created anarchy, we decided not to complete the puja then."

The vandalised idols were immersed in Nanua Dighi.

The idols had been brought from Shri Shri Rajeshwari Kalibari, which has supplied idols to the mandap this year as well.

Shanchay Pal, one of the artisans said, "We had crafted the idols last year. When I heard that they were attacked, it broke my heart." In addition to being a labour of love and devotion, it was a task that took months, but was destroyed in mere moments.

Mithun Modok, who was the main complainant in the police case filed over the attack, said, "The administration asked us to decorate with more lights, have a bigger festival, but we decided to celebrate with no excess."

The Hindus of Karimpur village in Ramnathpur union of Rangpur's Pirganj upazila, who came under arson attack over a Facebook comment on the day following Durga Puja last year, are celebrating this year at a makeshift mandap as the dismantled and burnt mandap has been left without repair.

Arjun Kumar Sarkar, president of the Durga Puja Udjapan Committee of Karimpur, said around 66 Hindu families came under arson attack on October 16, a day after Bijoya Dashami. The panic and trauma of that day persists among locals.

Talking with The Daily Star over phone on Sunday, Arjun said there are around 200 Hindu families at Karimpur and surrounding villages.

"Most were against hosting a puja this year, because of the attack last year. Later, they agreed to celebrate it for the sake of tradition," said Arjun.

But the burnt ruins of their temple still stand today -- and the makeshift mandap was set up right beside it. Four ansar men guard the mandap at all times, even during night.

"Local administration promised to renovate the temple, but they have not," he said.

Purnima Rani Sarkar, a local, said crowds were thin this year because of fears of a repeat of last year's violence.

In Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar, 14 temples were attacked and vandalised from October 13 last year. A total of six complaints were made to Kamalganj Police Station but only two have been registered as cases.

This impunity hangs heavy on this year's celebration.

Malay Malakar, secretary of Vasudebpur Puja Udjapan Parishad, said their temple was attacked and vandalised on October 13.

"The next day, I filed a complaint with the police station. But the case has not been registered till now," he said.

On the other hand, Amal Shabdkar, president of the Moydail Puja Udjapan Parishad, said, "Police arrested two people and we are in fear of reprisals since then. We are being threatened in various ways. There is fear of another attack. So, we have to stay awake at night."

A president of another puja udjapan parishad whose temple was vandalised last year, told this correspondent on condition of anonymity that they are not filing a case out of fear. "We will not be able to stay at home if we pursue legal action."

Ferdous Hasan, officer-in-charge of Kamalganj Police Station, told this newspaper that of the two cases filed, one is with the Police Bureau of Investigation, and that around five or six people have been arrested so far.

In Kurigram, there is tight security in the five temples that came under attack last year at Gunaigach and Thetrai unions of Ulipur upazila.

Ulipur Upazila Puja Udjapan Parishad President Soumendra Kumar Pandey Gaba said security has been beefed up at temples attacked last year. "We are keeping strong watch on all the Durga Puja temples."

The temples that were attacked last year have been renovated with government funds. Apart from this, government funds have been given to the families affected by the attack," he said. But the wounds are still fresh.

The mandap at the historical JM Sen Hall of Chattogram was attacked and vandalised by a group of criminals from a procession brought out from Andarkillah Shahi Jame Mosque on October 16 last year.

The lights have gone up this year with that bitter memory fresh in locals' minds.

Security has been beefed up in the city and upazilas to thwart any untoward situation centring the puja. Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has taken four-tier security measures in the city for the occasion.

Along with policemen in uniform and plain clothes, members of a strike force, SWAT and the bomb disposal unit are on duty, said Krishna Pada Roy, commissioner of CMP.

"Apart from the mobile team and members of Detective Branch of police, a team of police and Ansar men is on duty at every puja mandap," he said.

Security has been provided everywhere from the place of making the idol to the puja mandap and finally to the Bisarjan (immersion), said the CMP commissioner.

A disciplinary committee has been formed around each mandap regardless of caste and religion, he said.

Ashis Kumar Bhattacharia, president of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad's Chattogram city unit, said, "We don't think there is any threat this year but a quarter is always trying to destroy our communal harmony. This year we've arranged puja with a new vibe, but the devotees are carrying the pain of the previous year."

(Our correspondents in Moulvibazar, Lalmonirhat, Dinajpur, Cumilla and Chattogram contributed to this report)