📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Indrani911basu
Religion
Early Morning Anjali Marks Mahashtami at Puja Pandals Across West Bengal
✍️ DD India
🗓 20 Oct 2026, 08:16 AM
👁 18
Devotees across West Bengal performed early‑morning anjali at Durga Puja pandals on Mahashtami, as reported by DD India.
Mahashtami, the eighth day of the Durga Puja festivities, was observed with early‑morning anjali at numerous puja pandals throughout West Bengal on Saturday. The ritual, which involves devotees offering prayers and flowers to the goddess, began before sunrise, creating a serene atmosphere across the state's cultural hubs.
Crowds gathered at major pandals in Kolkata, Howrah, and smaller towns, where priests led the anjali ceremonies accompanied by traditional chants. The early timing allowed participants to avoid the usual daytime rush and to experience the sanctity of the ritual in a quieter setting.
DD India highlighted the widespread participation, noting that the early‑morning observance has become a popular way to mark Mahashtami, reflecting both devotion and the desire for a peaceful start to the day's celebrations. The collective offering underscored the communal spirit that defines Durga Puja across Bengal.
The anjali ceremonies, while simple, are integral to the larger puja schedule, leading into the evening cultural programs and processions that characterize the festival's climax in the coming days.
Crowds gathered at major pandals in Kolkata, Howrah, and smaller towns, where priests led the anjali ceremonies accompanied by traditional chants. The early timing allowed participants to avoid the usual daytime rush and to experience the sanctity of the ritual in a quieter setting.
DD India highlighted the widespread participation, noting that the early‑morning observance has become a popular way to mark Mahashtami, reflecting both devotion and the desire for a peaceful start to the day's celebrations. The collective offering underscored the communal spirit that defines Durga Puja across Bengal.
The anjali ceremonies, while simple, are integral to the larger puja schedule, leading into the evening cultural programs and processions that characterize the festival's climax in the coming days.