CUTTACK: The five-day Durga Puja drew to a close as braving rains, thousands of devotees bid farewell to the goddess in Cuttack city on Thursday. Around 30 idols of Goddess Durga and Hara-Parbati were immersed in three artificial ponds set up on Kathajodi river banks near Devi Gada by 7.30 pm. Crowds thronged the immersion points at Devi Gada and adjacent Purighat where it was a carnival like atmosphere despite heavy rains.
Of the 170 pandals set up in the city, Goddess Durga was worshipped at 110. The clay idols of other deities including Hara-Parbati were worshipped in the rest of the pandals. The ‘sahi parikrama’, a tradition as per which puja organisers move the idols in and around local sahis or localities was delayed due to rains in the morning. The idols were wrapped in polythene sheets before being taken out for immersion on the route from Ranihat to Devi Gada via Buxi Bazar and Choudhury Bazar.
This time, owing to restrictions on sound limit, most of the puja committees opted for traditional folk dances like ‘ghoda nacha’, ‘kela-keluni’ and ‘sabara-sabaruni’. This apart, musical instruments like ‘jhanja’, ‘mrudanga’ and cymbals were extensively used during the ceremony. Dance troupes from different parts of the State participated in the processions. As many as 50 platoons of police were deployed and 14 police aid posts set up for smooth conduct of the immersion ceremony in the city, said DCP Pinak Mishra.