CUTTACK: Festive fervour gripped Cuttack city as the five-day-long Durga Puja festival began with traditional pomp and gaiety on Saturday.
Of the total 176 puja pandals, while Goddess Durga is being worshiped at 105, idols of other deities, including Hara-Parbati, have been consecrated at the remaining ones. Adhering to the tradition, an idol of Bharat Mata is being worshipped at Bakharabad puja pandal.
Two puja committees - Shankarpur-Badambadi and Shree Shree Madan Mohan at Jhanjirimangala have transitioned from the long-worshipped Hara-Parbati to Maa Durga at their pandals this year.
As many as 37 puja committees have put up silver tableaux (Chandi Medha) at their altars, while around 15 have used gold ornaments including crowns and weapons to adorn Goddess Durga and her other celestial companions including the demon Mahishasura. Sahebzada Bazar puja committee has made its entry into the elite silver tableaux club by constructing Chandi Medha using 2 quintals of silver this year.
As the puja committees started the celebration by observing Sasthi Puja rituals on Saturday, devotees started thronging the pandals to have a glimpse of the deities. The footfall at different puja pandals is expected to go up on Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Vijaya Dashami days.
The entire city has been decked up with exquisite decorations, theme-based welcome arches and massive light gates erected by different puja committees. While Khannagar-Khapuria Shilpanchal puja committee has come with welcome arch replicating Varanasi’s Swarved Mahamandir Dham, Malgodown puja committee has constructed one replicating Rajasthan’s Grand Palace and Nuapada Durga puja committee has erected Prayagraj Mahakumbha Mela theme-based gate.
Similarly, College Square puja committee has constructed light gate replicating Taiwan Buddha temple, Haripur-Dolamundai puja committee has come up with one replicating Rajasthan’s Maya Mahal made of light and flowers.
To ease traffic congestion, Commissionerate Police has imposed restrictions on different routes in and around the city. “The traffic restrictions have been imposed with effect from October 16 to October 21 from 2 pm to 2 am for convenience and safety of general public. While arrangement has been made for deployment of extra police forces at puja pandals using silver and gold ornaments, volunteers provided by different puja committees have also been engaged for assisting police in traffic management and maintaining law and order during the festival,” said DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo.
