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Navratri, held annually in honour of Hindu Goddess Durga, is celebrated over a period of nine days where thousands of youth dance the night away in traditional costumes. Navratri starts on September 25 and will be celebrated until October 3.
In many parts of the country it is marked by celebrations involving prayer, fasting, music and dance among men and women.
It is famous for being high-spirited and Christians and Muslims are known to take part. They also take part in the Holi Hindu spring festival.
Meanwhile, the five-day Durga Puja festival will be celebrated from September 30 to October 3, and is the biggest religious event for Bengali Hindus.
Durga is attributed as the destroyer of evil and Hindus believe that the goddess symbolises power and the triumph of good over evil.
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| A man decorates an idol of the Hindu goddess Durga at a pandal, a temporary platform, ahead of the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata September 25, 2014. — Photo by Reuters |
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| A man works on a pandal, a temporary platform, as it is built for the Durga Puja festival, in Kolkata September 25, 2014. — Photo by Reuters |
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| Women dressed in traditional attires balance pitchers on their heads as they take part in rehearsals for the "garba" dance ahead of Navratri festival in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad September 24, 2014. — Photo by Reuters |
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Sep 25, 2014 10:19pm
Awesome images :))
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Sep 25, 2014 11:11pm
What a fantastic collection of photographs
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Sep 26, 2014 12:01am
Dawn deserves congratulations for providing proper coverage to the Hindues's festivals. The other media outlets should also pay deserved attentions to this matter.
The people in general and the media in particular should make efforts to make Hindues feel a part and parcel of Pakistani society. Tolerance, mutual respect among the various religious identities must be promoted and celebrated by the media. Such efforts do have positive ripple effects beyond immediate surroundings.
Good job! By the way, the photos are great.
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Sep 26, 2014 01:16am
I will be glad to see such images of the festival across Pakistan esp. the pandals there. :)
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Sep 26, 2014 01:18am
Good ok.
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Sep 26, 2014 01:51am
Awesome work. Great culture, great civilization
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Sep 26, 2014 02:32am
Good work DAWN
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Sep 26, 2014 07:33am
Happy festival . . .
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Sep 26, 2014 08:29am
Pakistan, dont kill your Hindus and preserve this community there. Because they are the original owners of the oldest civilization their...
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Sep 26, 2014 09:10am
well as an Indian I am very very happy to see such Hindu festivals photos in a Pakistani newspaper. I appreciate. it is a good gesture. pl keep it up - srinivasan
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Sep 26, 2014 09:20am
This was there in Pakistan before Turkish/Afghani rulers Ghaznavi and Mohammad Ghor(from Ghor in Afhanistan) attacked Pakistan and killed people.
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Sep 26, 2014 09:23am
@Far sight These are not images from Pakistan as Hindus are afraid to celebrate anything outside for fear of life , these are images from India.
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Sep 26, 2014 09:25am
@Sachin Dhawan You said it , how to occupy property , by killing or making the original owners flee across the border.
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Sep 26, 2014 09:43am
Definitely it is very good initiative taken by the Dawn to publish such excellent articles with marvelous photos . We hope the Dawn will do I. Future as well ,it creates love and affection for each other.
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Sep 26, 2014 10:10am
Who cares.
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Sep 26, 2014 10:26am
Great coverage - Happy Dussera to all Pakistani brothers and sisters!
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Sep 26, 2014 10:42am
Beautiful pictures.
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Sep 26, 2014 01:10pm
I congratulate DAWN's efforts for this publishing this huge Collections. I am sharing our festival celebrations with our all Pakistani Brothers. Unity is strength
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Sep 26, 2014 01:16pm
I wish 3000000 Hindus could have celebrated the festival with same ease in PAKISTAN
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Sep 26, 2014 01:32pm
Wonderful story of a culture in Pictures. Living in USA for more than 30 years I feel like I missed out on something simply human and something simply divine. Thanks to DAWN for making me feel guilty.
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Sep 26, 2014 03:40pm
Would have preferred to see my Hindu brothers and sisters in Pakistan. May god bless you all.
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Sep 26, 2014 04:48pm
Untill dawn started publishing these photos, earlier Holi and now Durga Puja, I feel Hindu festivals are very colourful.... and would like to see them once in my life....
Happy durga puja to my hindu freinds...
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Sep 26, 2014 05:07pm
Seriously?There's no Hindus left in pakistan?
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Sep 26, 2014 06:26pm
Durga Puja is celebrated also by Bangladeshi Hindus, though on a much smaller scale. Some of these Pujas, like the one in Ramna Kali Mandir are quite famous.
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Sep 26, 2014 06:40pm
Happy Navratri and Durga Puja festivities.
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Sep 26, 2014 07:04pm
@Sumit Mazumdar :
You are almost right. However, Durga Puja is not a 'much smaller scale' --- it is a big event in big cities of Bangladesh. Ramna Kali Mandir (can be seen in Sheikh Mujib's historic 7th March Race Course speech photo) was completely destroyed by Pakistani forces on 27th March 1971. It is very 'interesting' that despite fierce resistance by the Bengali common people-youths / Bengali para military (EPR) and military (EBR) all over East Pakistan immediately after 25 March night crackdown, (West-) Pakistan military spare time and energy in the demolition of Ramna Kali Mandir during that uncertain period. Few years ago the Mandir was rebuilt.
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Sep 26, 2014 08:11pm
It is time to celebrate the festive spirit now. Why not all Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs join together in the celebrations and make it part of their culture as well and get the best of both cultures - distribute sweets, eat together, dance together and pray together (let it be in your own way as per customs). The biggest advantage Pakistan and India have is to enjoy all the festivals and make the most in terms of happiness, peace and joy and spread it across to make a better living. I read recently that the largest "Laddu" (Mithai) at Ganapati festival was auctioned and bought by a muslim in Hyderabad (India) and the proceeds go to charity to develop better benefits for the village/local community there.
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Sep 26, 2014 08:12pm
@Asif A. Shah - Thank you Dawn. Thank you again.
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Sep 26, 2014 10:14pm
@M. Emad
What else can be expected brother? The ones who did not spare their own blood for power, barbarism in blood will reflect in their every deeds.
Interesting these very same people will lecture others on divinity of a religion and forgets respecting other views.....
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Sep 26, 2014 10:27pm
I hope the Hindu minority in Pakistan enjoys the celebrations.
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Sep 27, 2014 12:11am
@Sachin Dhawan , Nice Joke.... No one owner of this world and by the way original owners of the oldest civilization are Muslims on this World.Hindus are killing Muslims in India what about that ?????? Its shameful
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Sep 27, 2014 12:15am
@mission control You mean there is no Dugra Puja celebration in Pakistan? I will be shocked to hear that. Lahore is named after Lav-the son of Ram and Dussehra is its commemoration. Ironical how the city has forgot its founder. Atleast the heritage should be respected if not religion.
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Sep 27, 2014 01:50am
Excellent pics, I wish there were some Pakistan too
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Sep 27, 2014 02:02am
I hope publishing pictures like these will help develop understanding and appreciation of other cultures among Pakistanis, and helping Pakistan once again become a tolerant society.
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Sep 27, 2014 07:52am
We Punjabis call it Nav ratan or nine nights. It is a celebratiion of good over evil and we Punjabis celebrate it peacefully too.
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Sep 27, 2014 08:30am
@Far sight Navaratri is celebrated in a peaceful manner by Punjabis. It is in memory of Lord Ram Chander and his consort Sita and their many adventures. Mainly in Punjab and Kashmir, quiet fasting is done on Milk and water with badaam or almonds for the first seven nights. Then on the eight or ninth nights Punjabis take time to pamper their younger daughters or granddaughters with yummy food and new clothes and offer thanksgiving prayers.
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Sep 27, 2014 09:48am
I want to wish Durga Festival Celebrations to All Pakisthan Muslim & Hundu Brothers and Sisters. Earlier we are in same country & our elders are real Brothers, Sisters. But we are fighting with between us by our Politicians. We are attacking between ourselves and wounding between ourselves. Why this culture is till going on?. When will we shake hands freely?. Both Government should open borders and allow all citizens to go any where freely in both countries as their home country. The youth generation should understand. When the day will come?. I & many Indians are expecting as like as lakhs and lakhs of Pakistan's Citizens.
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Sep 27, 2014 10:40am
@M. Emad
Great comments
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Sep 27, 2014 10:42am
@Asif A. Shah
Mr. Asif we welcome your views & God bless you
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Sep 27, 2014 12:45pm
I like the way DAWN covers news from India. Kudos to you for colourful pictures of navaratri & shradh rituals. I am happy to see that Dawn has good number of Indian readers who figure dominantly in readers corner. I must say that after Times of India dawn is my next preference to update myself.
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Sep 27, 2014 04:15pm
@Rahim Imtiaz Gill That is not the way to celebrate it certainly. There is much more to Durga Puja than fasting and pampering children (I believe you are referring to Eid) and eating good food. :)
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Sep 27, 2014 05:16pm
Beautiful picture, colorful and vivid... so is DAWNs gesture to publish them - keep up the good work
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Sep 27, 2014 05:50pm
Thank you Dawn for the pictures. We don't see pictures like these in Indian Newspapers either.
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Sep 27, 2014 08:42pm
Great work by Dawn on the coverage...
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Sep 27, 2014 10:42pm
@Ali : Even before Islam came some 1400 yrs ago?
Wow your idea and depth of history amazes me. Which school did you go to? Try speaking to a non Asian on this idea of yours and see what you get to hear.
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Sep 28, 2014 03:34am
Great collection of information. This is a part of our subcontinent culture, just like our muslim religious occasions are. These scenes can be a great source of understanding between followers of different faiths in the subcontinent, provided we look at these events with an open mind. Thank you for refreshing my memories of my childhood days in India and Pakistan.
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Sep 28, 2014 03:40am
@Ahmad Apparently you did not get the meaning of these events, and still harping about the past. How about looking forward to future and view these as part of our heritage and make efforts to promote understanding among various faiths that now exits in the subcontinent..
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Sep 28, 2014 03:45am
@Shyam Kokku Thank you Shyam. I hope a day will come when we will celebrate festivals of all faiths together, regardless of our faiths. Would't that be fun?
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Sep 28, 2014 03:56am
@Ali Always negative. Why could you not look at these images as part of our Indian subcontinent culture. Please look forward in a positive way as this is the only way true harmony and understanding among different faiths can be established.
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Sep 28, 2014 04:42am
Great pictures, like being in reality. Thanks Dawn
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Sep 28, 2014 04:48am
These photoes do convey DAWN stands in a different league of International Pulishing houses. It is good to see that Dawn help to spread fraternity & awareness about Hinduism being originating from a Muslim country.
We love to see such images coming out of Pak too no matter those of Muslims or Hindus or any other sect.
Life is all about living peacefully, respecting each others sentiments to make a better world for the generations to come.
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Sep 28, 2014 10:48am
How come no celebrations in Pak?
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Sep 28, 2014 02:49pm
Big salute to DAWN. Thank you so much. I wonder whether we see this much coverage even in Indian newspapers. The subcontinental culture is perhaps one of the oldest.
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Sep 28, 2014 03:17pm
Accept and respect everyone's view. Happy to see many good and mature comments. But one thing I must say, the Allahabad bridge (up) made on national highway is picturized very well and so the Hawrah bridge... Good to see these pics.
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Sep 28, 2014 04:45pm
God Bless you Dawn
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Sep 29, 2014 11:26am
Bengali Muslims have a blast during the festivities and participate wholeheartedly. This starts with the purchase of new and distribution of sweets. There is a Muslim majority area called khidderpore in Kolkata. Where they're is one puja organized by Muslims and even has a Muslim priest who chant Sanskrit verses. As a mark of respect to their Hindu brethren, beef shops remain closed during the tenure of the festival. Indian Muslims may have changed their religion, but not their ancient culture.
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Sep 29, 2014 05:32pm
@Ali mr alli, if u see the statistics properly, after 1947 what was the muslims population in India, but see it now it has increased drastically, & what about the hindu population in pakistan during 1947, & what it is now ??, It has decreased drastically allmost nil, now tell me are Muslims being killed in India, or the Hindus in pakistan, think & write
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Sep 30, 2014 12:29am
@roger_davis obviously you since you're commenting lol.
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Sep 30, 2014 04:39am
@Asif A. Shah Fully agree with you.
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Sep 30, 2014 09:09am
Great photo collection from Dawn.
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Sep 30, 2014 10:07am
@depak If we can think, you dont need to write brother.
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Oct 01, 2014 12:47am
@Sachin yaar for heaven's sake for once lets just stop the rhetoric about who is better and appreciate this initiative by Dawn.. show some respect re baba.. and frankly sab log thakk gayein hain is ladaai se.. petty arguments to satisfy the ego is certainly not the way forward.
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Oct 01, 2014 09:38am
Many many thanks to Dawn for the article and beautiful pictures.I pray to Goddess Durga to make you and the world happier ,prosporous and free from fear.
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Oct 01, 2014 01:58pm
I always like the photos in DAWN.
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Oct 01, 2014 02:59pm
Good work DAWN..
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Oct 01, 2014 06:36pm
@Nabeel S (Sialkot)
Please visit India during Durga Puja, I am a Bengali...for us this festival is the biggest one...
Thanks for your b'ful comments...God bless you dude..
Thanks Dawn...I am regular reader of this paper...Sitting far away in Kolkata/Jamshedpur....
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Oct 02, 2014 12:32am
Such images can seldom be found in Indian newspapers. Dawn constantly keeps on trying to change the image of Pakistan in the positive direction. Love this newspaper.God bless you & Pakistan
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Oct 02, 2014 01:15am
Beautiful picture very lively and colorful and the third one is exceptionally good.
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Oct 02, 2014 01:20am
@milind Amin.
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Oct 02, 2014 09:55am
Extremely good pictures... Dawn has covered it weill
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Oct 02, 2014 10:47am
@Zainab indeed it would not just be fun but a moment of glory and achievement!
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Oct 02, 2014 12:54pm
@Devjyoti,
AM pleased to see such a wonderful pictures being published in Pakistani News paper..Awe-some..Good initiative by Pakistani Daily..making it in different league who wants to spread goodness...
Thanx & Best of Regards
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Oct 02, 2014 01:18pm
@Rahul There are over 3 million Hindus in Pakistan!
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Oct 02, 2014 02:05pm
Dawn is the most fair and mature newspaper I've seen. Keep it up, friends!
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Oct 02, 2014 03:21pm
Awesome Job Dawn!...
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Oct 02, 2014 03:22pm
Awesome
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Oct 02, 2014 09:35pm
It is my dream to see a magnificent temple in line with agama and tantra rebuilt at hinglaj in balochistan and sharada peeth in Pakistani Kashmir. But it is heart breaking to know that the future of Hindus and Hinduism in Pakistan is simply doomed. There is no hope to restore these spiritually powerful institutions anymore.
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