Jamshedpur, April 3: The city is gripped with religious fervour with the celebrations of the Ram Navami and the Basanti Navratra on way. Devotees are flocking to akharas and temples and organising kalash yatras to get a glimpse of gods and godesses.
Since morning, men and women queued up to offer puja and get a glimpse of goddess Basanti today. Not only in Kalibari but a good crowd was also seen in Aamra Shobai Club in Sonari which has been organising the Basanti Durga Puja. The Children of Ramakrishna, a socio-spiritual organisation in Sidhgora too is organising the puja.
Men and women waited in two different queue right to the temple gate and flowers. Security personnel along with volunteers of the temple were deployed all along the path to guide the devotees.
Apart from this, several ‘shobha yatras’ are being taken out from different places of the city, Elaborate security arrangements are being made by the Patna police to maintain peace during the puja period. RAF jawans were seen patrolling the main thoroughfares and all the important places in the city. Police personnel were also deployed in civil dress to keep an eye on miscreants.
On the other hand the city and all the 159 akharas have prepared for their processions to be taken out on April 6. The Bajrang Akhada took out a kalashyatra yesterday with full fanfare including crackers, lighting for half a kilometre and with 10 music band.
The rally was taken out from Subernarekha ghat 9 pm. The Thakur Pyara Singh and Dhurender Singh Club, the oldest akhara in the city started in 1921 would take out their procession on Navami, in the evening with about 5000 people.
“The Kalashyatra is done. We generally take water from the well near the club and take it to the Hanuman temple. We however look forward for the procession on Navami which starts at about 6 pm,” said Nirbhay Singh, one of the managing organisors of Thakur Pyara Singh Dhurender Singh Club.
With an aim to ensure peaceful Ramnavmi the East Singhbhum administration has made elaborate arrangements. The administration deployed adequate policemen and paramilitary personnel to prevent any untoward incident. Several sensitive areas have been identified and Rapid Action Force jawans will be posted accordingly.
A total of 265 magistrates and large number of police officers will be deployed to oversee law and order machinery on the penultimate day and on the procession day of the festival.
Moreover movement of heavy vehicles will be stopped on the day of the procession while private vehicles will be restricted in the city after 2pm. �Though, adequate security measures have been made for the Ram Navami procession but we also appeal to the people and akhara samities to cooperate the administration in ensuring peaceful culmination of the nine day festival,� said Prem Ranjan, SDO, Dhalbhum.
�After directions from the district administration we have asked the akhara committees to avoid using glass tubes and kerosene during procession as the two items are very dangerous,� said R B Singh, senior functionary of Central Peace Committee.