Oct. 20: The city today switched to a festive mood with Mahasaptami marking the beginning of the four-day Durga Puja.
In the morning, devotees went to the neighbourhood puja mandaps to offer anjali to the Goddess. Several pandals also arranged community feasts like khichuri bhog, which carried on till late in the afternoon.
As the day wore on, people started pouring onto the streets. Though the crowd was considerably thin initially, it picked up in the evening and swelled at night, choking the main roads, lanes and bylanes. Despite threats of militant attacks looming large, people including kids, turned out in large numbers.
Arati competitions were organised at several pandals, drawing large crowds.
Altogether 328 pandals have been erected in the city.
The pandal-hopper?s path has been lit up by moments of glory from the Olympics, fury of the floods and famine and other contemporary themes. ?We thought the crowd will be less this year because of militant threat. But if today?s crowd is any indication, the entire city will be out on the streets on Asthami and Nabami,? said a police official.
 | Mahisasur at the entrance of Latasil Playground Puja Mandap. Picture by Eastern Projections Rest Camp Kalibari at Pandu. Picture by Eastern Projections Tokobari Milan Samity. Picture by UB Photos Security personnel on guard. Picture by Eastern Projections Binapani Durga Puja Mandap. Picture by UB Photos |
| Rest Camp Kalibari at Pandu. Picture by Eastern Projections |  |
 | Tokobari Milan Samity. Picture by UB Photos |
| Security personnel on guard. Picture by Eastern Projections |  |
 | Binapani Durga Puja Mandap. Picture by UB Photos |
