Devotees immerse a Durga idol at Law College Ghat in Patna on Dashami and the effigy of Ravan burns during Dussehra celebrations at Gandhi Maidan. Telegraph pictures

Food, fun and frolic marked Durga Puja and Dussehra. Oblivious of what was happening around, most people were absorbed in celebrations with relatives and friends. Some of the factors that made it a festival of cheer:

Traffic

Scene: Motorists had a smooth sailing. Barring a few bottlenecks, traffic was normal on the festival days. There wasn’t a single instance of prolonged traffic jam. Rash drivers were pulled up. More than 400 bikes were seized from different parts of the state capital during Durga Puja. Some cops, stationed on Bailey Road, were hurt late on Tuesday night as they tried to nab a group of speeding bikers

Trick: Diversions, vigilant policemen

Remark: Street-smart cops

Crowd management

Scene: Revellers thronged pandals in thousands. But there was no chaos. Cops and volunteers managed the crowd well. No eve-teasing case was reported during puja

Trick: Perfect co-ordination between vigilant cops and smart volunteers

Remark: People, police and volunteers pass patience test

Cleanliness

Scene: Most parts of the city sported a spick-and-span look. Garbage was carted away from vats at regular intervals. Few places like Kurji Roundabout were exceptions

Trick: Civic workers were on their job round-the-clock on first two days of puja

Remark: Civic workers did wonders

Power

Scene: Uninterrupted electric supply on all four days because of proper maintenance of substations before the puja. Distribution lines were also checked. Round-the-clock vigilance through control room ensured snags were rectified immediately

Trick: Proper maintenance and adequate power from the Centre and open market

Remark: Salute to power men

Immersion

Scene: Crowd was under control. The cops ensured the immersion process started early so that maximum number of idols could be immersed before sunset. It was mandatory for all processions to pass through a single route to avoid chaos on roads leading to the Ganga. There were no reports of clash or drowning till Thursday late evening

Trick: Early start for early finish

Remark: Smart vigil and heavy deployment of police ensured safe immersions