Children eat prasad at the langar organised at Moin-ul-Haq Stadium in Patna on Tuesday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, April 12: To project a people-friendly image, the 131st battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) organised a bhandara (lunch served as prasad) on the occasion of Navratri at its administrative building in Moin-ul-Haq Stadium in the city.

Around 200 CRPF personnel tried to spread the message of bonhomie by arranging for everything without any outside help. Arrangements were made for 3,000 people. The prasad comprised puri, sabji, kheer and halwa mixed with chana.

The visitors to the puja and the langar were really touched by the generous attitude of the CRPF personnel.

“The food served was very good. We will always remember the affection and the generosity they showered on us today. It was good to see that they have so much love and respect for god,” said Mahadev Sharma, one of the visitors.

He added: “I was leaving after the bhajan kirtan in the morning. But the CRPF men did not let me go. They kept requesting me to wait for the prasad. So I stayed back for the food.”

Sharma added that visitors were also touched because the security personnel paid obeisance to the little girls worshipped in the Kumari Puja.

“Arranging for Navratri Puja is a kind of tradition. Different battalions have followed this. This time, at the CRPF administrative block, we tried to do something different. Whenever a CRPF commandant is posted to a new place, he ties to organise langars or puja to socialise with the civilian population. It is a public relations exercise,” said Bidhan Chandra Patra, the commandant of the battalion.

He added: “I thought of arranging a langar, as it had not been done before. The response has been really good. People have been coming since yesterday. We had also arranged for a daylong bhajan kirtan. Our personnel sang the bhajans with the civilians.

“There was Ramcharitmanas path (reading) today. We also organised a yagna and Nav Kanya Puja in the morning,” said Patra.

The commandant said: “Before coming to Patna, I was posted at Durgapur in Bengal. There we used to organise puja on a more grand scale. I have tried to do the same here.”

Explaining the importance of divine blessings for security personnel, Patra said: “After living in hostile conditions and wandering about in forests, we leave everything to God. This gives us some relief, immense satisfaction and peace of mind that is essential in our job.”

Describing the preparations made by the CRPF battalion, he said: “Around 200 personnel are in charge of affairs here. They have sliced and washed the vegetables, cooked it and are serving it to people. We have arranged for extra tents that we can put up to accommodate the guests, if needed. Everyone is our guest today. We are trying to ensure that no one goes hungry today and that everyone gets prasad.”

On being asked why he did not take the help of outsiders, he said: “There is a particular work culture in the camp. We have adequate manpower and do not need people from outside. The only outside help is an extra priest. Our regular priest, who performs the puja at the administrative block everyday, is also here. But since the puja here has to be done for 24 hours, we had to appoint another priest.”