JATNI : With majestic pandals and gorgeously decorated idols, Durga Puja will be a grand affair this year in Jatni.Preparations are on at a feverish pace in the town for ‘Maha Astami’ on Wednesday. Temple domes decorated with flowers, lights, bhajan sandhyas and mass aratis are the major highlights of the festival this year.
The temple of ‘Uttarayani’, the presiding deity of the town, is the centre of attraction of all festivities. Even as elaborate floral designs adorn the sanctum of the Goddess, the air is filled with fragrance of incense, chanting of slokas, sounds of gongs, drums and traditional conch shells along with ‘turi’.
Around 2,000 Bengali families, who have made Jatni their home, make the festival special as they bring a slice of their culture to the festivities. The local Bengali club, famous for its mass ‘Aaratis’, has erected a 20 feet pandal with a six feet idol of Goddess Durga decorated in typical Bengali style.
The pandals at Raja Kacheri has great lighting arrangements and gate. Besides, pandals at Rajabazar; Municipality chhaka; Traffic colony; IW Office of East Coast Railway Khurda Road Division, Station Bazaar; Bhuasuni Temple and Bhagabati temple in Railway colony have been decorated colourfully.