SHILLONG, Oct 7 - Durga Puja celebrations have begun in Meghalaya with the resonance of the drum beats and fanfare. Puja Pandals have been decorated elaborately and decked with colourful lights here in the State capital.
All throughout the day, different puja committees ferried the Durga idol to their respective pandals with the beginning of the festival.
This year there are 166 puja pandals in Meghalaya. Out of this, 92 are in Khasi Hills, 52 in Garo Hills, Ri-Bhoi 11 and Jaintia Hills nine.
The puja committees have erected the pandals with different themes. Keating Road puja committee has chosen Disney World as the theme of their pandal.
�We have tried to create the Disney world, with lights featuring the various cartoon characters of Disney world,� Shamal Nag, working president of Keating Road Durga Puja committee said.
The committee is observing its 60th anniversary. Nag hopes the lights would be an instant attraction for the children.
One of the other well-known Durga puja committee in Rynjah here has erected the pandal depicting the Kali temple at Kalighat, Kolkata. The committee is known for depicting different prominent buildings around the country every year during the celebrations.
Similar themed pandals have been erected at Jail Road, Rilbong, Laitumkhrah, Jhalupara and other puja pandals.
Around most of these Puja pandals food stalls have come up selling different kinds of Indian, Continental and other food. Tattoo, Mehndi stalls together with vendors selling toys and balloons have added colour to the festival.
Meanwhile, the State Government has announced that there would be no load shedding in the State during the entire duration of the festival. In fact, the Government has announced that there would be no load-shedding till October 13.
The decision was taken after the Central Puja Committee urged the Government for uninterrupted power during the festivals.
