How Covid Rules Will Affect Durga Puja Celebration

Like last year, many committees have decided to either go for virtual celebrations or organise the puja with a limited number of people, mostly members.

It's the time of the year when the sweet fragrance of the 'shiuli' flowers, that blossom around this time, blends with the autumn breeze to herald Durga Puja, the annual occasion when goddess Durga is commemorated for conquering the demon king Mahishasura in a fight, exemplifying the victory of good over evil.

Apart from being a religious festival for the Hindus, it is also an occasion for reunion and rejuvenation, and a celebration of traditional culture and customs, marked with great enthusiasm and zeal in the states of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Odisha and Bihar. The festival holds great significance for the devotees, as they pray to the different avatars of goddess Durga each day during the nine-day celebration, known as Navratri. While the rituals entail nine days of fast, feast and worship, the last four days--Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, and Dashami--are celebrated with much gaiety and grandeur in India and abroad, especially in Bengal.

As the festive week of Navratri approaches fast, devotees are looking forward to celebrating Durga Puja with great enthusiasm. However, the spirit of the auspicious festival will once again be dampened this year, due to the Covid-induced restrictions.