Vinay Nalwa
Saraswati Puja, one of the most revered Hindu festivals, marks the worship of Goddess Saraswati—the deity of wisdom, learning, arts, and culture. Her divine presence is invoked in homes, temples, and educational institutions across the world, and her blessings are sought for enlightenment and creative pursuits. The festival, celebrated on Vasant Panchami, symbolizes the arrival of spring and the eternal pursuit of knowledge that transcends time and space.
Hindu scriptures depict Saraswati as the consort of Brahma, the creator, and the embodiment of speech (Vak). The Rigveda hails her as the flowing river of wisdom, an entity that nurtures intellect and civilization. She is depicted as seated on a lotus, clad in white, holding a veena, a book, and a rosary—symbols of purity, art, knowledge, and spiritual power. Saraswati is not merely a goddess but an expansive concept, revered in different cultures and traditions, evolving into the Bodhisattva of wisdom in Buddhism and the goddess Benzaiten in Japan.
While the essence of Saraswati’s wisdom remains universal, the hypocrisy in media coverage surrounding her festival reveals a stark contrast. Major Bangladeshi news outlets highlight Saraswati Puja as a celebration of harmony and cultural diversity. Reports enthusiastically describe the festivities in educational institutions, temples, and public spaces, with images of devotees immersed in devotion. In Dhaka, grand celebrations are set to take place at Dhaka University’s Jagannath Hall, Dhakeshwari National Temple, and other educational institutions. Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus greeted the Hindu community on this occasion. Also mentioned in the report that the celebration is expected to be prominent in Chattogram and Madaripur districts.
However, this celebratory narrative deliberately omits the harsh reality of Hindu persecution in Bangladesh. While Bangladesh has a history of extremists vandalising Hindu deities, recent years are no exception. Just a week before these reports of grand celebrations, Hindu deities of Saraswati were desecrated in Karatia, Tangail district. Unknown extremists vandalized newly crafted idols being built by Hindu artisans, a clear act of targeted hate. The same media that glorifies the vibrancy of Saraswati Puja remains silent on these violent attacks, failing to question the systemic oppression faced by Hindus in Bangladesh.
Last year in August 2024, a madrasa student, Bappi Hossain, was caught red-handed while vandalizing a Saraswati idol inside a temple in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Despite his arrest, the incident highlights the recurring attacks on Hindu places of worship and the deep-seated religious intolerance in the region (Dhaka Tribune). The incident took place at Naraich village in Mohanganj upazila in the Netrakona district in the Mymensingh Division of Bangladesh.
In January 2023, Islamists vandalized Saraswati idols and attacked Hindu worshippers. A group of 9-10 Islamists disrupted Saraswati Puja and desecrated the idol of the Goddess after being told not to click pictures and videos (OpIndia).
In 2022, extremists in Bangladesh desecrated temples of Goddess Kali and Saraswati in Dinajpur and Sirajganj, targeting Hindu places of worship. While Hindus protested for justice, media silence and delayed action highlighted the ongoing persecution of the Hindu minority. Another incident in the same year saw unidentified individuals vandalizing an idol of a deity at a colonial-era Hindu temple in west Bangladesh. Authorities of the Kali temple in Dautiya village in Bangladesh’s Jhenaidah district discovered the idol smashed into pieces. The miscreants had dumped the idol’s upper portion on a street, half a kilometer from the temple’s premises, said Sukumar Kunda, president of the temple committee (The Business Standard).
A January 2022 report chronicled a brutal act of religious hatred where extremists vandalized 35 Saraswati idols in Chattogram, targeting Hindu artisans ahead of Saraswati Puja. The incident, reminiscent of past attacks on Hindu traditions, reflects the ongoing persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, while authorities hesitate to acknowledge the religious motive behind such crimes (The Business Standard). In a nation where Hindu artists have long sculpted Saraswati’s idols with devotion, the increasing threats against their sacred traditions reflect an alarming trend of religious intolerance.
Attacks on Hindu temples, idols, and devotees are recurrent, yet these incidents rarely find a place in mainstream media discussions. Even international human rights organizations remain mute spectators to this rising aggression, further enabling the cycle of persecution.
The irony is glaring. On one hand, there is a glorified spectacle of Hindus celebrating Saraswati Puja, while on the other, the same community mourns the desecration of their sacred deities in an atmosphere of fear. This dual reality exposes the hollowness of so-called secular narratives that conveniently erase the suffering of a persecuted minority.
True homage to Goddess Saraswati lies in upholding the principles she represents—truth, knowledge, and justice. If the world genuinely respects wisdom, it must break its silence on the plight of Hindus facing erasure, discrimination, and violence. Saraswati, the goddess of truth, does not stand for selective blindness. Her blessings should awaken not only devotion but also the courage to confront injustice.
Goddess Saraswati goes beyond rituals and celebrations—it lies in upholding the principles she embodies truth, knowledge, and justice. If the world genuinely reveres wisdom, it cannot turn a blind eye to the erasure, discrimination, and violence faced by Hindus. The systematic targeting of Saraswati idols is not just an act of desecration; it is an assault on the very ideals she represents. Silence in the face of such oppression by the Bangladesh’s regime and media is complicity or convenient ignorance. Devotion to Goddess is devotion to the universal values of righteousness, courage to acknowledge injustice and resist the forces that seek to suppress it.
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