Those apprehending a wet Durga Puja can fix their pandal-hopping plans now as most of the remaining days of Navratri are expected to be dry.

The rainfall in Patna and other parts of the state on Sunday triggered apprehensions of a wet Durga Puja this year. But according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s assessment, most of the Navratri days would be dry. However, showers might dampen the Dussehra celebrations across Bihar, said the IMD.

It rained 21.4mm in Patna on Sunday — the second day of the Navratri. A low-pressure area had formed over the Bay of Bengal near the Odisha coast on Friday. It turned into monsoon trough line by Sunday, triggering the shower.

The trough line was passing through Madhya Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh, south Bihar, sub-Himalayan Bengal and Meghalaya on Monday. Weathermen claimed that it had weakened and was expected to completely neutralise by Tuesday.

The Met department issued a forecast of mostly dry weather till Navami (on Sunday). A statewide heavy rainfall is on the radar from Dashami.

Ashish Sen, the director of IMD, Patna, on Monday said: “A low-pressure area formed over Andaman Sea on Monday is expected to reach the Bay of Bengal by October 13. It could lead to very heavy rainfall in Bengal and Odisha over the next few days. It would also cause heavy rainfall across Bihar from October 14 (Dashami).”

Patna received 27.1mm rain in the first seven days of October against the normal of 32.5mm, leaving a deficiency of 17 per cent. The rainfall across the state during the same period was 44.4mm against the normal of 36.2mm, a surplus of 22 per cent.

Sen added that the southwest monsoon was expected to retreat from Bihar around October 10. The monsoon withdrawal line was passing through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh on Monday.

On Sunday evening, Puja organisers — big and small — across Patna swung into action after the thunderstorm. They have come up with alternatives, if not a compromise, on the pandal-decoration plans. The changes include modifying the pandal layout to ensure there are no smudgy setbacks and putting extra layer of waterproof tents.

Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir Shri Durga Puja Samiti on Boring Canal Road, which is making a pandal replicating the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, is adding waterproof sheets on the rear side of the pandal to give shelter to the visitors in case it rains over the next few days.

“Though our pandal was made with waterproof tents, the Sunday rainfall made us realise that there is a need for creating a shelter for visitors. We have extended the overhead tent in the front and erected a new waterproof tent on the rear side to give shelter to visitors,” said Sudama Prasad, the executive member of the Samiti.

Chandramani Kumar, a member of Shri Shri Tarkeshwar Rameshwar Nath Durga Puja Samiti at Shastri Nagar, said: “Looking at the dry weather in the last week of September, we thought there would not be any rainfall during the Puja. Thus, no waterproof tents were used for making the pandal. However, after the Sunday showers, we have decided to put a layer of waterproof tents over the pandal.”

Shri Durga Puja Samiti Friends’ Association near Golghar roundabout is putting extra layers of waterproof sheets and sand as a preventive measure for sudden rain.

“We are putting another layer of waterproof tent over the pandal to prevent water leakage. We have also ordered for sand to avoid any slush during the Puja. Other precautions such as a covered shelter are being also thought about. We would leave nothing to chance even if the IMD predicts a dry Puja this year, ” said a samiti worker.

What are your plans for the four days of Durga Puja? Tell ttbihar@abp.in