The five-day-long Dura Puja got underway in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack with traditional gaiety and fervour from Monday.
More than 300 major puja pandals and innumerable smaller ones in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar have come alive with stunning decoration and sparkling lights.
Although the footfall at each pandal would maximise from Saptami (Tuesday), Ashtami (Wednesday) and Navami (Thursday), hundreds have started hopping pandals to get look of complete puja pandals created on different themes.
This year’s Durga Puja assumes significance as 2013 and 2014 puja were washed away by consecutive cyclonic storms – Phailin and Hudhud. With weather god unlikely to play spoilsport, devotees are getting ready to enjoy this major festival.
Priests started Sasthi Puja from Monday that marked beginning of the Durga Puja. Immersion of idols would take place on Saturday.
Security beefed up
Commissionerate of Police has announced to deploy 90 platoons of police and special operation group personnel to ensure the Puja passes off without any untoward incidents. In the security plan for Durga Puja in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, priority has been given to traffic management. Managing movement of pandal hoppers in narrow lanes in Cuttack will be more challenging than in Bhubaneswar.
Apart from police deployment at Puja pandals, security has been beefed up at railway stations and bus terminals which would witness congestion during this time. Close circuit television cameras have been installed at different vantage positions.
Massive Puja pandals built on different themes have already started attracting tourists from the State and outside.
The model of Cybele Palace of Madrid has been created by Jharpada Durga Puja committee in Bhubaneswar while its counterpart, Nayapalli Durga Puja, committee came up with a replica of the Art of Living ashram. At Sahid Nagar, spectacular ‘Medinipur theme gate’ has already drawn hundreds of people who are busy taking selfies with the pandals in the background. Hundreds of artisans and workers from Kolkata were roped in by Puja committees to erect massive gates and pandals.
Millennium city of Cuttack continued with its traditional silver filigree made hoods and lighted gates. The Khannagar Puja Committee constructed the model of Vaishno Devi cave and Trikuta Parbat Range. The Jobjra Puja Mandap in Cuttack has built its pandal on theme of London Bridge.
