Bhubaneswar: Committees Arrange Online Darshan & Home Delivery Of Prasad

BHUBANESWAR: Durga Puja kicked off in the city on Friday in a low-key manner amid restricted celebrations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Durga Puja committees have made respective arrangements keeping the government’s guidelines in mind. As the pandals wore a deserted look on Friday, a number of committees live streamed the rituals on different social media platforms. Following the protocol, the committees are conducting the puja rituals inside barricaded pandals.
“The rituals are being conducted with the participation of minimum people. A number of our own committee members have been asked to stay away from the pandal. Those present during the rituals have to follow social distancing and other Covid norms,” Pabitra Mohan Behera, president of Nayapalli Durga Puja Committee, said.
Behera added that they have asked two members of their club to live stream the rituals of the puja. “A Puja is incomplete without its devotees. We have also deputed our members to keep crowds away from the pandal,” he said. Several other puja committees have also barricaded their pandal areas to bar devotees from entering the site. “This is indeed a very difficult time. A number of devotees came had come today to see the goddess. We have arranged a separate viewing site for them and requested them to maintain social distancing,” a member of Bomikhal Durga Puja Committee said.
As per the government guidelines, the puja committees have been asked to keep the height of the idol within four feet and ensure that there are only seven persons inside the pandal at any given time. The committees have been asked to barricade the pandals from three sides and ensure no devotees were allowed inside it.
“The goddess comes only once a year. It is heartbreaking to be not being to catch a glimpse of the goddess at the pandals. However, we have to abide by the rules and regulations to protect human lives. It is a bad time and hopefully it will pass soon,” Namita Puhan, a resident of Rasulgarh, said. The puja committees in Saheed Nagar and Rasulgarh have also arranged live viewing of the puja for the devotees. They have arranged online darshan and home delivery of prasad. The Old Station Bazar Durga Puja Committee has also come up with similar plans.
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