WEATHER

The sky will be generally cloudy with possibility of 30-minute spells of light rain on Sashthi, Saptami and Ashtami. Navami and Dashami might see longer spells of rain but there is little chance of a washout, said the weather office.  

WHAT THE ALMANAC SAYS

The goddess arrives and departs on a none-too-auspicious note. Her ride on both trips is the horse, a rare occurrence which is a first in over a decade. Scattering soil with hooves, a journey on the horse ushers in devastation. The dry soil rings the alarm for a drought. Ghotake chhatrabhangasturongome.

ROAD RESTRICTIONS

There would be no entry or traffic diversions on several roads from 3pm on Sashthi (October 7) to 3am on Saptami (October 8), from 3pm on Saptami to 4am on Ashtami (October 9), from 3pm on Ashtami to 4am on Navami (October 10) and 3pm on Navami to 4am on Dashami (October 11).

TIPPLE TALE

This year, you don’t have to stock up your cellar in advance! There are no dry days and all restaurants with bars will serve liquor. For a pub scene, head to The Grid in Topsia or Whats In D Name on Camac Street which will stay open till 1am from October 8-11. The bar is finally open at The Monkey Bar (6 Camac Street) during the Puja days (except October 10). 

HELP AT HAND

• Emergency helpline: 100 
• To report suspicious activity: 1090
• Lalbazar control room: 22142121
• Traffic control room: 22143644/22141457
• Traffic police helpline: 9830010000/9830811111
• Vodafone traffic helpline: 2000/2001
• Children’s helpline: 1098
• Missing helpline: 9002999999 
• Missing person squad: 22505153/22141430/22141835
• Medical helpline: 9830079999 
• Fire: 101
• Ambulance: 102
• Karma Ambulance: 3366070707
• AAEI Breakdown service: 24866810/24865131/24865132/24865133
• Accident victims (in partnership with Medica): 1073
• Helpline for women and old persons: 9002999999
• CESC (Puja-special helpline): 9831079666/ 9831083700 (between 9am and 5pm till October 11), 1912 (24X7 all over the year)
• WBSEDCL (For Howrah, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas and Bidhannagar)
  • Helpline: 1800 345 5220. (24X7)
  • Headquarter Control Room: 23197286 & 23591905 (24X7 for the puja days)
• Fire brigade control room: (headquarters) 22861570/22521165
• Fire brigade control room: (Mohammed Ali Park) 22414545/22414646

POLICE DEPLOYMENT

• 5,000 cops are manning the roads from Chaturthi
• 12,000 officers per shift in three shifts would be on duty from Panchami to Navami
• 21 quick response teams
• 25 heavy radio flying squads
• Durdanto the drone will provide an aerial view
• 800 CCTV cameras across the city
• 46 watch towers
• 37 trauma care ambulances 
• Two mobile squads for detecting missing persons
• One DMG team on standby
• 25 divisional mobile patrol vans

METRO SCHEDULE

• 7.15am to 10.10pm on Sashthi
• 1.40pm to 4am the next morning on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami (every 10 minutes from 2pm to 5pm and midnight to 2am, every 7 minutes from 5pm to midnight, and every 15 minutes from 2am to 4am)
• 1.40pm to 10pm on Dashami

FESTIVE FUN

True Spirit Puja

It started out as a thought and in 14 years has transformed into a movement with 290 pujas participating in CESC The Telegraph True Spirit Puja, powered by Patanjali, to make the festival meaningful, safe and happy for pandal-hoppers.

After the first round of judging on Panchami, a celebrity judges’ panel will tour the top pandals on Sashthi, to pick this year’s Model Puja and Five Star Pujas.

Choto Chokhe Boro Pujo

Schoolchildren will go pandal-hopping across the city on Panchami and Sashthi as around 50 pujas vie for seven awards in The Neotia University Presents TTIS Choto Chokhe Boro Pujo in association with Snow Park. Today, celebrity judge Abir Chatterjee will join the kids as they visit the shortlisted pujas and hand over the awards.

Hand In Hand

For residents of 100 housing complexes, the beats of the dhaak and the fragrance of dhunuchi will all be at home with Jio Presents The Telegraph Hand In Hand. In its 14th year, Hand In Hand has lined up a host of events in housing complexes from Behala to Birati, Southern Avenue to Salt Lake.

Koshto Kore Sreshtho Samman

Small is big this Puja as Zandu Balm Koshto Kore Sreshtho Samman, in association with Anandabazar Patrika, will recognise the low-budget, small-scale para puja organisers who have put their heart and soul into their pandals. The judges’ panel has shortlisted six finalists whom Tolly star Swastika Mukherjee and Fossils frontman Rupam will visit on Sashthi. 

Dettol Hygiene Zone

The Telegraph Puja Premier League 2016, powered by AXE Signature Collection and hygiene partner Dettol, is trying to ensure a clean and safe festival for Puja revellers. There will be a Dettol Hygiene Zone where pandal-hoppers can wash and sanitise their hands at each of the 10 pujas participating in The Telegraph Puja Premier League 2016: Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra, Tridhara Akalbodhan, Ballygunge Cultural Association, Garia Nabadurga, Hatibagan Sarbojanin, Shibmandir, Mitali Kankurgachhi, BE East Salt Lake, Santoshpur Lake Pally and Barisha Youth Club.  

DANCE TILL YOU DROP

Dance to your heart’s content with Jay Bhanushaali, Mugdha Godse and Karan Kundra at Dandiya Mahotsav 2016, in association with t2, at Swabhumi, October 8 to 10, 7pm onwards. Or with Karan Tacker, Rajeev Khandelwal and Shaheer Sheikh at Buzzutsav, partnered by t2, at Ojas banquet, Topsia, October 8 to 10, 6pm onwards. 

PLEX PLATTER

It’s a filmi feast at the plexes this Puja with Bolly-Holly-Tolly serving it up. Sashthi release Mirzya, with debutants Harshvardhan Kapoor (yes, Anil Kapoor’s son) and Saiyami Kher, promises an intense love story spanning time. M.S. Dhoni – The Untold Story, continues to rain 4s and 6s at the box office. And as we worship She power this Puja, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s Pink is still running to packed houses.
Holly buffs can queue up for Mira Nair’s inspirational sports biopic Queen of Katwe while fantasy fans can get their fill from Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, starring Eva Green and Judi Dench.
Tolly has half-a-dozen releases this Puja. Zulfiqar, a mash-up of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra, stars Prosenjit, Dev, Jisshu, Parambrata, Paoli, June and Nusrat. Anjan Dutt’s Byomkesh O Chiriakhana has Jisshu as the super sleuth. Jeet’s Abhimaan is a mainstream biggie that packs in action, comedy and romance. Gangster marks the big screen debut of TV heart-throb Yash Dasgupta. Then there’s Parambrata-starrer Chocolate and Prem Ki Bujhini, starring Om and Subhashree. 

FASHION FIX

Traditional fashion during Puja can never really go out of style, but how about doing it differently? Ladies can opt for colourful ghera skirts with Indian motifs paired with sleeveless tee and silver jhumkas. Or how about pairing a handloom sari with a T-shirt and a statement choker? Layer your outfits with jackets. Sneakers are the hottest pair of shoes around, and can be paired with everything from that shirt dress to the sari, if you dare. 
Boys, invest in playful blazers and colourful bundis and wear them over classic kurta-pyjamas. For those days you don’t want to dress traditional, smart track pants paired with a buttoned-up-folded-sleeve shirts and high-top sneakers is a win!