CUTTACK: The five-day Durga Puja festivities came to a close in the Millennium City with immersion of the idols.All roads leading to Devi Gada, the immersion spot near river Kathajodi, were chock-a-block with devotees participating in the tableaux procession.A carnival like atmosphere gripped Devi Gada with eclectic music mix of Dulduli, conch and cymbals which kept up the spirit of the bystanders, who had been waiting since afternoon to bid farewell to the Goddess.
According to police, over 60 idols of Goddess Durga and Hara-Parbati were immersed in the three artificial ponds set up on the banks of river Kathajodi by 8 pm. The immersion ceremony began at 8 am and after taking the medhas through their respective Sahis (areas), the Puja Committees joined the traditional immersion route from Ranihat to Devi Gada via Buxi Bazaar and Choudhary Bazaar.
Of the total 160 pandals, Goddess Durga was worshiped at 85, while Hara-Parbati were worshipped in the remaining pandals.Though there was a competition among the puja committees to bring out a colourful and attractive procession, most of those opted for traditional folk dances and musical instruments to bring down noise pollution. Loud speakers and electronic musical bands too were part of some processions.
Be it performances like Ghoda Nacha, Kela-Keluni, Sabara-Sabaruni folk dance or musical instruments like Jodi Sankha, Dhola-Mahuri or bell, mrudanga, conch and cymbals, puja committees kept the devotees entertained for the fifth consecutive year. Traditional music and folk dance troupes from different parts of the State participated in the procession ceremony which continued till late into the night.
While 60 platoons of police force were deployed for smooth conduct of immersion ceremony, 36 CCTV cameras were installed to keep a tab on trouble makers, police said adding over three lakh people thronged Cuttack for the ceremony.Special police protection was given to 24 puja committees having silver medhas and 7 other committees using gold ornaments during the immersion ceremony.In keeping with their tradition, the Bengali communities and households had immersed Goddess Durga idols and Kalasas immediately after Vijaya Dasami rituals on Friday night.