ROURKELA/BHAWANIPATNA: The Steel City wore a festive look for Ganesh Puja which was celebrated with the usual pomp and gaiety at several places after a gap of two years. The festival is celebrated widely in the city which has a sizeable concentration of non-Odia people. People were seen pandal-hopping at the civil township, Basanti Colony, Chhend Colony and Bondamunda.
However, organisers of some puja committees in the city complained of the unavailability of adequate space to organise the puja. The pandal at Ganesh Chowk used to be the major attraction of the city. But after the railways acquired its unused land in the area, puja was stopped at the venue.
Similarly, the puja was organised on a grand scale at the Uditnagar parade ground which is now being developed into a sports complex.
Meanwhile, in the Kalahandi district, five students of Durgamadhab High School were critically injured after being attacked by a swarm of bees when they were celebrating Ganesh Puja on the school premises.
They were admitted to Kalampur community health centre.