Bhubaneswar: As Durga Puja festivities concluded peacefully across Odisha, the idol immersion was held in an environment-friendly manner with tight security in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar on Monday.
The immersion ceremony began from noon and continued till late in the night. The procession was carried out in groups by three organisations – Bhubaneswar Bhasani Utsav Committee, Saheed Nagar; Rajdhani Mandir Suraksha Bhasani Samiti, Nayapalli and Uttar Bhubaneswar Vasani Committee, Chandrasekharpur – on Janpath, Nayapalli road and Nalco-KIIT square road respectively.
Durga Puja was organised at 187 pandals in the the Odisha capital this year. At least 26 major puja committees joined the immersion procession organised by the Bhubaneswar Bhasani Utsav Committee on Janpath road.
Traffic was diverted at multiple places between 3 pm and 1 am. Security and crowd control measures were also put in place to ensure the safety of puja committee members and onlookers.
Steps were taken by the local administration and police to check noise pollution during procession. Organisers opted for traditional music and dance to maintain the festive spirit as there was restriction on DJ music.
Immersion of idols was carried out in the five temporary ponds created by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on the banks of Kuakhai and Daya rivers as well as near Tankapani road.
Similarly, in Cuttack, the Durga Puja festival wrapped up with immersion of idols of the Mother Goddess, Hara-Parvati and other deities yesterday.
People from all walks of life thronged the streets to catch a glimpse of the procession which headed to Devi Gada (immersion point located on the bed of river Kathajodi) thorugh the road from Ranihat.
Of the total 173 puja mandaps, Goddess Durga was worshipped at 101 pandals. Clay idols of other deities, including that of Hara-Parbati were consecrated at the remaining 72 puja pandals. At least 36 idols of Goddess Durga and Hara-Parbati were immersed in three artificial ponds created on Kathajodi river bank near Devi Gada by 7.30 pm, The New Indian Express reported.
The immersion ceremony began at 9 am with ‘Sahi Parikrama’, a tradition in which puja organisers move their medhas in and around their respective localities. Later, the medhas were taken in a grand procession on the traditional route from Ranihat to Devigada via Mangalabag, Buxi Bazaar, Tinikonia Bazaar, Dargha Bazaar and Choudhury Bazaar, Nimchuari, Chandni Chowk and Telenga Bazaar, the TNIE report added.
Tribal folk dances, Ghoda Nacha, Sandha Nacha, Kela-Keluni, Sabara-Sabaruni, Jodi Sankha and Dhola-Mahuri were performed while musical instruments like jhanja, mrudanga and cymbals were used during the immersion procession in the millennium city.
Apart from traffic restrictions, 60 platoons of police force were deployed for smooth conduct of immersion ceremony. At least 35 police aid posts were also set up in the city, said DCP Jagmohan Meena.