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Regular-article-logo Sunday, 27 July 2025

Phailin is past, it's time for Puja

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PRATYUSH PATRA Published 15.09.14, 12:00 AM

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 14: Leaving behind the disturbing memories of last year’s Cyclone Phailin, Durga Puja committees are eyeing grand celebrations this year. All the best-laid plans of revelry were thwarted and most spectacularly decorated puja pandals were razed to ground by the incessant rains that lashed last year due to the cyclone. Organisers hope it will be an entirely different story this year.

While the themes and designs of most puja committees have been finalized, work is going full steam to build impressive pandals. Learning from the past mistakes, all the puja committees are taking extra precautions this year. The workers are making sure that bamboo pillars are dug deep into the ground and have sufficient support to hold them against strong winds.

At Saheed Nagar, organisers are creating a mammoth 120 feet high and 75 wide façade decorated with handicraft items and oyster shells. Nayapalli Puja Committee in its evening cultural events will host Ravan Darbar that is immensely popular in western Odisha and will also present a show on the life of Sai Baba. The Rasulgarh puja pandal that represented mosaic art using small coloured stones last year is using steel and aluminum this time. At Baramunda, where the pandal was decorated with compact discs last year will give way to plastic spoons and bangles. Old Station Bazaar, known for coming up with innovative themes will focus on the need to conserve heritage sites like Konark Temple, Dhauli Stupa and Khandagiri. Last year they had created a Jungle Book themed pandal before it was flattened by the cyclonic storm.

“We were heartbroken last year. We saw two months of hard work getting destroyed in front of our eyes. But we firmly believe that visitors will be lot more enthusiastic this time as they have some catching up to do in terms of celebrations,” said Pradip Barisal, president of Rasulgarh Durga Puja Committee.

The residents are equally excited about the approaching festivities. “The shopping has begun. Last year, we could not do much except for staying at home and venturing only after the rains had receded significantly. This year we are going to make most of the fine weather,” said Aman Mohanty, a city based college student.

Having braved the inclement weather conditions once, puja committees are sympathetic towards the hapless people grappling with floods in Jammu and Kashmir. While Rasulgarh will keep its Ravan Darbar modest, showcasing solidarity for flood victims, Old Station Bazaar committee will seek donations for relief work in Kashmir.

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