Jamshedpur : With the city all decked up and elaborate security arrangements in place, denizens have ushered in Durga Puja – the five-day socio-cultural carnival that comes with the religious observance .
As before, city police have been gearing up to put in place elaborate security measures for the puja over the last three months.
From putting up watch towers and check posts at strategically important spots to deploying a large number of security personnel in and around the marquees, they are walking the extra mile this year.
With about 290 puja pandals adoring, the city has turned into an exotic location where radiant faces of the people speak volumes of the importance of the festival. The artistically carved idols of Goddess Durga are also attracting the devotees a lot.
Various puja committees are taking innovative steps to attract devotees. From skits to musical show a lot of ideas are being used this year.
The Circuit House Area puja committee, which is one of the oldest pandals in the city, is known for organising cultural events.
During Durga Puja, a large number of puja committees design pandals on various innovative themes. They also illuminate the premises with attractive lighting to woo more people.
People were seen standing in long queues in front of the pandals for their turn for darshan of the Goddess. Huge rush of devotees was seen at the pandals of Jay Ram Sporting Club in Adityapur and Thakur Pyara Singh and Dharundhar Singh in Kashidih.
For many pujas, it is also an occasion for ‘home coming’. Students pursuing higher education in metro cities, look forward every year to come back home and spend time at home during the puja.
�It’s always fun hopping different pandals with family members. I look forward every year to participate in the puja in my own city,’ said Rohit Das, a student from Mumbai.
�Over the years the traffic has also increased in our city. On Mahashasti, the traffic congestion is generally not much so we face less hassle when we visit puja pandals on this day.
It is also a good time to enjoy the vacation,� noted Radha Bhattacharya, a resident of Sonari. The four-day puja rituals would culminate on �Bijaya Dashami� on Monday.