Cyclone impedes Durga Puja preparations

Sandip.Bal@timesgroup.com
Incessant rain has caused panic among Durga Puja organisers. They are worried about finishing the decorations in time. The cyclonic storm Titli has been causing heavy rainfall for the last three days, forcing the committees to wait and watch. While work on the shell of the pandal is stalled, the idol work is going on inside. After the first colour coat on the idol on Mahalaya, it’s time to apply a fresh coat again.Rain is causing havoc. But the organisers are hopeful.

Preparations for Durga Puja started around two months ago. Though in Bengal it’s a huge affair with very early preparations, here, organisers started late. “Idol making started around a month ago. The clay takes time to dry. If it rains then it takes longer,” said Deepak Barisal of Rasulgarh Puja committee.

Usually, the work gets over before Shasthi. It’s on that day that the face of the goddess is revealed to the visitors. “We are working as fast as we can. Work on the idol is going on inside the mandaps. It’s the pandal work that is suffering. We are waiting for dry spells in between heavy showers,” said Sridhar Jena of Jharapada Puja committee.


With the rain continuing, artistes are worried about their creations. “We thought of finishing work fast. But it seems now we will have to pull all-nighters. Hope things get back to normal soon,” said Mantu Maity, an artiste.
While pandals are the major attractions, it’s the use of ornaments and jewellery on the deity that organisers stress on. They use gold, silver and platinum jewellery for the idols. “It’s normal for women to wear jewellery when they go out or meet people in public. The goddess will also come here to meet her devotees and that’s where the tradition comes from,” said Pabitra Behera of Nayapalli Puja committee.


While Bhubaneswar sees a grand celebration, Cuttack is not far behind. But space crunch forces the organisers to limit their pandal decorations. So instead, they spend on lighting and the goddess’s ornaments. The backdrop, or medha, is made up of pure silver. Moreover, each Puja has a long a history, with some even dating back to the 16th century. “We use a silver backdrop built during the British era. It’s so pure that it doesn’t get corroded,” said Purna Chandra Singh of Chaudhury Bazar Puja Committee.

(Photos: Sumit nayak, Subhranshu Mohapatra)