Cuttack: The Silver City is well known for lavish Dussehra celebrations. Silver tableaux and idols adorned with gold ornaments at puja pandals have become the main attraction for all and sundry.
Besides, colourful lights and decorations have enhanced the beauty of the festival. Sources said altogether 168 puja pandals have been erected in the city for the ongoing festival. Goddess Durga, the annihilator of demon Mahisasura, is being worshiped at 95 pandals while clay idols of other deities, including that of Lord Shiva, have been consecrated at the remaining pandals.
Residents of Kanheipur and Nuapatna have put up two new pandals this year to celebrate Dussehra while the puja committee of Dargha Bazar has designed a silver tableau to mark its silver jubilee. According to sources, the puja committee had purchased two quintals of silver to design the tableau.
Puja panels of Shankarpur, Khannagar, Sikharpur, Chauliaganj, Ranihaat, Mangalabagh, Phiring Bazar, Pithapur, Kathagada Sahi, Balubazar, Chandinichowk, Alisha Bazar, Sheikh Bazar, Choudhury Bazar, Nayasadak, Khatbin Sahi, Kazi Bazar, Haripur-Dolamundai, Machhua Bazar, Tulasipur, Bakharabad, Ganesh Ghat and Budhi Thakurani Lane have been worshipping Goddess Durga by putting up silver tableaux for the last few years.
The puja committees of Ranihaat, Choudhury Bazar, Chauliaganj, Kathagada Sahi, Mangalabagh and Sheikh Bazar have arranged gold crowns for the clay idols of Goddess Durga.
Sources said Choudhury Bazar puja committee has initiated measures to design a gold tableau in near future. “Now, altogether 24 puja committees have their silver tableaux while five pandals have gold crowns for the idols. Gold and silver worth `50 crore have been used for the purpose,” said Mahanagar Peace Committee secretary Bhikari Das.
The Khannagar puja committee has been a pioneer in installing colourful gates near its pandal for last several years. This year also, it has installed several LED light gates within Khapuria Square to Malachandia area to attract people.
The Commissionerate Police have deployed at least 50 platoons of armed security personnel for a smooth Dussehra celebration. Apart from that, police personnel have been deployed and CCTV cameras installed at puja pandals to keep a tab on anti-social elements.
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