Jamshedpur is in the grip of Basanti Navratra celebrations, observed traditionally in the steel city, known particularly for the Basanti Durga Puja held with much fanfare at Beldih Kalibari.

While Navratra starts on Wednesday, kalash sthapna rituals were performed at several places on Tuesday. But, Basanti Durga Puja will begin from Mahashasthi on April 2.

Beldih Kalibari is organising its 35th Basanti Durga Puja.

"Since there are very few Basanti pujas in the city, our puja attracts devotees from all across," said Srinivas Rao, a member of Bharatiya Yugavashistha Brahmananda Sangha that organises the puja launched by the late Brahmananda Shastri, the founder of the kalibari, in 1983.

"The mandap looks exactly like Sharadiya Durgotsav in the evenings. We organise the festival enthusiastically and even distribute bhog on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami," Rao added.

According to the scriptures, Durga Puja was originally celebrated in spring. But as Lord Rama is believed to have performed an untimely Durga Puja in autumn, the popular Sharadiya Durga Puja went on to be celebrated in the months of September-October.

This may have led Basanti Durga Puja to lose some of its importance and popularity, prompting many organisations likes clubs and temples to stick to the what they believe is the original tradition and hold the puja in spring.

The Beldi Kalibari puja will have Ma Durga dressed in authentic " daaker shaaj", that is primarily white and shades of silver. Most pujas of Jamshedpur follow this pattern or use thermocol, known as "sholaar shaaj".

The Basanti Durga Puja at Beldih Kalibari is special because of the cultural performances held every day through the festival by students of Shikshayatan, the art school managed by the Brahmananda sangha.

Various other organisations celebrate Basanti Durga Puja, among them Aamra Shobai Club in Sonari, Children of Ramakrishna in Sidhgora, Namda Basti Kalibari, Durga Bari in Sakchi and Ramakrishna Mission in Bistupur.

Sonari's Aamra Shobai Club, which is hosting the puja for the 38th year, has lined up a host of events like a sit-and-draw contest for children and various cultural programmes. They will also distribute bhog.

"Our puja is popular because there are very few Basanti pujas in town, especially across Kadma and Sonari. We have been organising the puja for the past 37 years. It has become a tradition," said Ayan Mukherjee, a club member.

Children of Ramakrishna, a socio-spiritual organisation in Sidhgora, is organising the puja for the 45th year. It is said to be the oldest puja in the steel city. They hold religious discourses and cultural performances in the evenings.

Basanti Durga Puja at Namda Basti Kalibari is another attraction. The 10-day puja is performed at the permanent Durga temple located within the premises of the kalibari. The use of the dhak is synonymous with the puja that sees a large number of devotees.

Durga Bari at the Chenab Road in Sakchi is holding the puja for four decades. It also attracts large number of devotees, but on the last three days of Basanti Dura Puja. The temple is decked up and illuminated and special bhog is distributed on Maha Ashtami, which is on April 4.

Ramakrishna Mission in Bistupur and a few other temples also celebrate Basanti Durga Puja.