Bollywood actors celebrate Durga puja

Mumbai, Sep 27 (ANI): Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan along with his mother Jaya Bachchan, wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and sister Shweta Nanda visited a temple at Khar in Mumbai on Saturday to mark the Durga puja festival.

Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan was conspicuous during the visit to the Ramakrishna temple at Khar.

The family spent more than an hour at the temple to offer prayers to goddess Durga.

Meanwhile, in Siliguri, devotees gathered in large numbers to celebrate the Maha-ashtami to mark the eighth and most auspicious day of the nine-day Navaratri festival.

During this time of the year, the Hindu Bengalis across the country celebrate this festival with lots of food, rituals and traditional worshipping of goddess Durga with chanting of Vedic hymns.

"There are so many accidents and terror attacks going on across the world. So many people are being killed. The world is standing on the verge of being destroyed, so I pray to goddess Durga that peace and tranquility be restored. We call for an eternal peace on this day for all beings on this earth," said Paromita Sarkar, a devotee.

"I offered prayers to the goddess as it is the biggest festival among the Bengalis. Moreover, to restore peace in the world and for the well being of my family I have come here to offer prayers. It is the day when the whole world gathers to offer prayers to the goddess," said Sampa Kundu, another devotee.

Prayers, processions and musical programmes mark the festival, which symbolizes triumph of good over evil. Durga is depicted as a powerful goddess, riding a raging lion, holding aloft ten weapons of war in her ten hands.

Her trident is depicted plunging into the side of a monstrous buffalo, out of whose body emerges a demon. It is said that the goddess makes her annual visit to the world during this time and the festivities are meant to welcome her.

Durga Puja is the most celebrated festival among the Bengalis, which is celebrated in grand manner. (ANI)