KENDRAPARA: The 10-day-long Laxmi Puja started in the district amid Covid-19 restrictions on Saturday. The district administration has issued guidelines and directed all the 67 puja committees to abide by the instructions strictly during the festival. Collector Samarth Verma said the puja committees have been directed to cover the front portion of the pandals and restrict the entry of visitors to the pandals to seven. The organisers have also been asked to stock enough sanitiser at the pandals for the festival which will conclude on November 9. This year, no immersion procession will be allowed.
Laxmi Puja in Kendrapara town, the state’s oldest municipality, was started by the then landlord of Kendrapara, Radhashyam Narendra Srichandan at his house near new bus stand in 1928. The Laxmi Puja by the family has been continuing since last 92 years, said Radhashyam’s great-great grandson Sambit Srichandan (38).
Later in 1932, a few prosperous people started Laxmi Puja at Balagandi, Santasahi, Ichapur, Nasidapur, Gopa and other places within the town. However, the puja at the new bus stand by Srichandan family remains unique as the members maintain the age-old customs in organising the puja, said Dr Basudev Das, a researcher. The number of Laxmi Puja mandaps has swelled up to 67 in Kendrapara town and its nearby areas in the last nine decades.