A mandap at Saheed Nagar in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, Oct. 15: The idol immersion procession or bhasani of Goddess Durga held in the twin cities today was a quiet affair, just like the four other days of the festival which were dampened by Phailin.

Incessant rainfall and stormy winds had transformed Dussehra in both Cuttack and Bhubaneswar from an extravagant to a low-key affair. Pandal hosts had begun with their usual competition of crores worth of gold and silver adornments of the idols and backdrop in Cuttack. In Bhubaneswar, each came up with a lavish pandal.

But, heavy wind and rainfall destroyed most of the pandals on October 12. All the Puja committees decided to immerse the idols on Tuesday without much fanfare keeping in view the large-scale devastation caused by the cyclone.

“All the committees agreed to immerse the idols by using only traditional instruments such as dhols, conch and cymbals in the place of orchestra groups as a mark of tribute to those affected in the cyclone,” said Secretary of Cuttack Mahanagar Shanti Committee Bhikari Das.

The Puja committees have also decided to donate to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Barabati Sarbadharma Sanskrutik Parishad, which cancelled the Ravan Podi Utsav, has announced donation of Rs 8 lakh to the fund.

“Though our pandal got hit badly, we continued the Puja with all rituals. Today, eight idols were carried to the Nayapalli ground and five stood outside the ground,” said Pabitra Mohan Behera, president of Nayapalli Durga Puja Samiti.

Police undertook adequate measures to maintain law and order during the immersion ceremony.