The Shib Choturdashi Fair, one of the major religious festivals of Hindu community, has started at Sitakunda in Chittagong yesterday. The fair continues for three consecutive days following the religious rituals where thousands of devotees gather in a Shiva temple at night on 14th Falgun. The Shiva has a history dated back to thousand years. The temple stands at the top of Chandranath Hill located at Sitakunda in Chittagong. This fair is one of the oldest fairs in the entire subcontinent.
The fair is held every year centering a temple on the top of the Chandranath Hill at Sitakunda. Thousands of devotees from home and abroad gather at the four-day festival hoping to earn divine blessings. The shaven-head devotee use to offer puja seeking salvation of the departed souls of their ancestors.
The law enforcing agencies has taken special security measures for the Shib Choturdashi Fair at Sitakunda and adjoining areas. Haradhon Chowdhury, General Secretary of Shib Choturdashi Fair Committee said, thousands of Hindu people have already reached the fair premises and the committee is taking all necessary measures for the visitors and pilgrims.
“We have already arranged water, accommodation and food for our pilgrims,” he said. Officer-in-Charge of Sitakunda thana Ifthekhar Hossain said, “We have taken special security measures in this regard.
We have deployed more police forces in the Shib Choturdashi fair area. Besides, the administration has already deployed Armed Force Battalion, Ansar and Rapid Action Battalion members for the security of the visitors and devotees.”
