Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Durga Puja is underway across Assam. More than 500 public and private pujas are running throughout Guwahati. Devotees began the pran pratishtha rites on Maha Shashthi last Friday, followed by Maha Saptami on Saturday. Clear skies and seasonal flowers greet the worshippers. Attendance is swelling across the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys.
The Bishnupur High School Durga Puja celebrates its 75th year with a floating Naglok-themed pandal on a lake. Visitors reach the site by boat. The Rs 25 lakh eco-friendly build features a Shivling under a waterfall and Naag Devta sculptures. Elsewhere, the Pandu Rest Camp Kalibari Sarbajanin Durga Puja marks its 78th anniversary. It cost Rs 60 lakh and houses a 19-foot idol inside a structure modeled after a Thai museum.
The Jay Hind Club spent Rs 40 lakh to recreate the Ayodhya Ram Temple. Artist Biplab Sinha led 24 workers from West Bengal for three months to finish the job. Latasil celebrates its golden jubilee with a replica of the Kedarnath Temple crafted by Alipurduar artists. The event features traditional drumming and puppet shows. Other committees address social issues. Geetanagar highlights floods in Nepal and Upper Assam, while Kahilipara blends the goddess with The Jungle Book. North Bhaskar Nagar boasts a 35-foot idol. In Nagaon, the theme centers on The Illusion of Machines.
Traditional rituals persist at the Durga Chandika Temple in Borbari Bishnupur. The site uses 108 sacred ghats instead of an idol. Across Assam, Shakti Peethas continue the practice of representing the goddess through banana plants and bamboo. In Dibrugarh, the Amolapatty Rajohuwa Namghar enters its 156th year of community worship. Despite the lingering grief over singer Zubeen Garg, crowds pack the markets and pandals. Organizers anticipate record numbers for Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami. A spokesperson noted, "The festivities extend beyond Guwahati."
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