DIBRUGARH, Sept 30 � With over 70 Durga Puja pandals within the municipality and its adjoining areas, Dibrugarh has been lavishly decorated for the autumn festivities. Almost all puja pandals here are replicas of monuments, temples and famous buildings, besides valued animals like camels. The festivities began today on Sashti.
The Jhalukpara Puja Samiti�s pandal at the Old Government Boys� High School playground has been the biggest crowd puller since the past several years. The entrance this time is modelled on the India Gate, while the puja marquee is a replica of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The entire puja celebration is being organised on 12 bighas of land. Considering the huge rush, the samiti has engaged about 100 volunteers and more then 10 security guards, Arun Todi, executive president of the puja samiti, said.
Other prominent puja celebrations include the Durga Puja at Amolapatty Natya Mandir, Marwari Patty near the Brahmaputra dyke, Jeutinagar, India Club and Graham Bazaar. The puja marquee at Marwari Patty is a replica of the camel. The puja celebration at Shantipara assumes significance as it is its centenary year.
Meanwhile, the district administration has put some restrictions on the plying of vehicles to contain the crowds and check traffic snarls. Several roads have been made one-ways and vehicles are being strictly regulated.
Jorhat Correspondent adds: On Mahasasthi on Tuesday, thousands of devotees and puja revellers thronged the 78-odd puja mandaps that include the must-visit Burhi Gosain Dewalaya, JPR Junction, Tarajan Puja Sanmilan, Rupahi Ali, Jorhat Puja Mandir (Jorhat Theatre), etc..
�May this Durga Puja bring peace and prosperity to all of us in the State,� said a devotee.
�As many as 78 committees are celebrating Durga Puja in Jorhat subdivision. In the municipal area, over 30 puja mandaps have been set up,� said the secretary of the central puja coordination committee, Sandeep Nandi. The Jorhat Puja Mandir is celebrating its centenary this year, he added.
In a meeting on Monday, the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police assured all administrative support to the puja committees for peaceful celebration of Durga Puja.
In order to generate awareness about the hazardous effects of tobacco, the District Tobacco Control Cell has announced three prizes for puja committees which will show exemplary instances in delivering anti-tobacco messages to the people. The authorities concerned will depute persons to monitor the effectiveness of their campaign against tobacco on the mandaps.
The Pujadubi Ghat, which has been decorated for the immersions on October 3 and 4, is being equipped with boats from the Inland Water Transport Department. However, no puja is being organised at Majuli as it is dominated by Vaishnavite traditions propagated by the Satras.
