Tripura gears up for Durga Puja

With the four-day annual Durga Puja celebrations beginning on Wednesday, final touches to Durga idols are going on at a war-footing.

By Pinkai Das

Agartala, Oct 16 : With the four-day annual Durga Puja celebrations beginning on Wednesday, final touches to Durga idols are going on at a war-footing.

Earlier, the work on idols had to be ceased for a few days due to incessant rain.

Most organisers have already installed the images of Durga and her children, Ganesha, Laxmi, Kartik and Saraswati while final touches were still being given in some pandals.

Inspite of competition between the different clubs and organisers to make their pandals and idols unique to attract more devotees, there is also a common feeling that Durga Puja, which symbolizes the victory of good over the evil, will restore peace in this trouble-torn state.

Debasish Bhattacharjee, an organiser said, "Durga Puja is the biggest festival in the state. It is common platform where people from different section like tribal, non-tribal and as well as different religions get unite through active participation."

The artisans are busy in their work as they wait through out the year for the festival which not only brings them employment.

A good number of artisans from other states mainly West Bengal is working here.

"We wait for these days throughout the year as we get employment. We are working as well as enjoying the festival. We six friends came here work from West Bengal," said Subasish Nath.

The Tripura Government has already deployed 2,000 additional security personnel across the state to ensure peaceful celebrations.

Armymen, policemen, bomb disposal and dog squads have also been pressed into service at sensitive areas to prevent any untoward incident.

With the improvement in the security situation, the number of pujas has increased as even in the most interior places some pujas are taking place without any militant threat of ban on Hindu pujas celebrations like in previous years.

ANI