Durga Puja minus the festivities; Guwahati Puja committees stick to rituals only

Guwahati: Durga Puja or Durgotsava festivities have begun. The five-day celebrations began today with Maha Sasthi, the day when the idol of Goddess Durga is brought and placed at the altar.

The Durga Puja committees of Guwahati are strictly abiding by the COVID protocol. The Shantipur Sluice Gate Durga Puja Committee has decided to have a low key puja celebrations this time.

Speaking to Sentinel Assam, Dipankar Das, assistant general secretary of the committee said that all the priests and the committee members have done their COVID tests.

"This time our puja celebrations is very minimal. We are just doing the necessary rituals. Adhering to the COVID SOPs issued by the administration, we have decided that no devotee would be allowed to enter the pandal for Anjali (offerings to Goddess Durga). The priests would recite the prayers which would be broadcast through the loudspeakers. Devotees can offer their prayers at home," Das said.

He also mentioned that the traditional bhog served as prasad would not be served this time.

Sashti means the sixth day after the new moon and from this day the rituals of Durga puja begins. It will be followed by Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijayadashami.

Sashti is the day when the face of the Goddess is unveiled. Some of the other rituals followed on Sashti are Adibas, Bodhon and Amontron.

Durga Puja is a Hindu festival celebrated across India but its biggest celebration can be seen in West Bengal. Kolkata is the place to revel in the festivities of Durga Puja. It is the time for feasting, wearing new clothes and offering prayers to Goddess Durga. Durga Puja celebrates Mother (Maa) Durga's victory over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura who threatened the entire world and was perceived to be invincible. To destroy the demon, Durga came into being from the collective energies of all the Hindu Gods. Maa Durga has ten arms, each wielding the weapons of each of the Gods.

It is believed that on the seventh day (saptami) of Durga Puja, the Goddess started her battle against Mahishasura which ended with his death on Vijaya Dashami (the 10th day).

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