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| An artisan paints a Durga idol in Dhubri on Wednesday. Telegraph picture |
Dhubri, Oct. 3: Community organisers of Dhubri are not going to celebrate Puja with the usual pomp and gaiety this year following the unrest and tension in the district since July.
The organisers, however, said all communities would put up pandals with idols of Goddess Durga and perform rituals to mark the celebrations.
Shanti Nagar community, which usually puts up huge pandals with decoration and lights, will go for a simple Puja this time devoid of colour and lights.
Secretary of Shanti Nagar Community Puja Committee, Bapi Paul, said they were going for a very simple celebration without even a pandal.
“Durga Puja will be held in our permanent Durga temple which was renovated last year as there is no point in celebrating in a big way amid tension and fear,” Paul said.
Secretary of Dhubri Hari Sabha, one of the oldest Puja organisers, Pradip Kumar Deb, said all organisers would celebrate Puja in their respective areas but the celebrations would be low key.
“The spirit of festivity over Puja is missing this time. It is not just because of the disturbances but the three successive floods, poor trade and business and skyrocketing prices of commodities in the market,” Deb said.
He said Hari Sabha community has convened a meeting on October 7 to discuss the situation and on how to smoothly go ahead with the celebrations this year.
Lukewarm response from organisers has also spelt doom for sculptors of Kumartuli in Dhubri town.
Sculptor Swarna Kamal Paul, an octogenarian, who is a pioneer in idol-making, expressed concern over the situation in this part of Assam resulting in a dampened Puja spirit.
“There were no special orders this time. I pray to Goddess Durga that there is peace during the celebrations,” Paul said.
Narayan Paul, another artisan, said organisers are just going for the basic rituals this year.
Paul, however, mentioned that Binapani Sangha at College Road might be an exception as they were going to celebrate with the usual decoration and lights.
There are around 240 community Pujas held in Dhubri district, including over 80 in Dhubri town.
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