Tuesday’s deluge triggered anxiety across the city, disrupting life just days before Puja. But hope refused to fade.

With Panchami falling on Saturday, Durga Puja is knocking at the door. Torrential rain flooded streets, submerged grounds, and stalled last-minute preparations. Yet amid waterlogged markets and soaked pandals, many clung to the optimism and resilience of the festive spirit, trusting that the city would spring back to its feet — because Durga is coming.

At Maddox Square, a hangout hub during Puja, water submerged the entire ground. “Our adda zone and 50,000sqft platform were inundated,” said Animesh Chattopadhyay, an organiser.

“But our pandal is safe. We have arranged for silver sand and sawdust to dry the ground. People will still come — we’ll stay prepared.”

Ballygunge Cultural Association, celebrating its 75th year, was concerned about the impact on wooden structures. “There is so little time, and if the rain continues, it will make things much harder,” said general secretary Anjan Ukil. “The persistent rain has already made us wary about damage.”

At Naktala Udayan Sangha, organisers rushed to the pandal early on Tuesday to check on stored materials. “We wanted to ensure there was no major damage, but finishing touches had to stop because of the flooded roads,” said organiser Anjan Das.

Some organisers had planned with rainfall in mind as there is always a possibility of heavy rain in September. “We used mango wood for flooring and avoided paint entirely. Rain would have washed it away,” said Dhrubajyoti Bose Suvo, chief mentor of Tala Prattoy.

Still, many feared further spells could mean significant delays and damage.

The Alipore Met office forecast a new low-pressure system forming around Thursday, likely to develop into a depression by September 26. However, it may spare Bengal, veering west towards south Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh.

The forecast offered a sliver of hope. If the depression follows its projected path, Calcutta could avoid a Puja washout. That optimism was echoed by many.

Debajyoti Roy, who works for an insurance company in Mumbai, has tickets to fly in on Panchami morning. He spent Tuesday worrying about his elderly parents. “But I’m hopeful. Once the water recedes, the lights, colours, and crowds will return,” he said.

The rain also hit the city’s biggest economic season: pre-Puja sales. Gariahat’s hawkers were left devastated. “The water inundated our stalls. Dresses, saris, bedsheets, faux jewellery — we had to throw so much away,” said a hawker leader.