Know The ‘Time Slots’ For Durga Idol Immersion In Cuttack; Change In Route & Traditional Practice

Cuttack: The Commissionerate Police here on Monday issued different time slots for Puja committees for the Durga idol immersion ceremony on Tuesday (October 27).

Cuttack DCP Prateek Singh informed the media that the immersion will be carried out in four phases – 10 am to 12 pm, 12 to 2 pm, 2 pm to 4 pm and from 4 pm to 6 pm. “Only seven members of each puja committees will be allowed to take part in the procession,” he added.

The DCP further said that idols of 26 puja committees will be immersed at two different temporary sites earmarked by the district administration and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC). The remaining idols will be immersed in 14 temporary sites in different parts of the city between 10 am and 6 pm.

NO SAHI PARIKRAMA

In view of COVID-19 pandemic, the immersion ceremony will be a low key affair in Millennium city this year with no ‘Sahi Parikrama’ and procession on the traditional route.

The medhas were earlier taken round their respective sahis after completion of Dussehra rituals and then in a procession from Ranihat to Devi Gada, the immersion ghat of Kathajodi river, via Buxi Bazaar and Choudhry Bazaar.

NO USE OF VEHICLE CHASSIS

The administration had earlier directed the puja committees to take the small idols in trolley or trolley auto-rickshaw to their nearest immersion point.

The vehicles carrying idols will move steadily without slowing or stopping at any point.

IMMERSION GHAT

The CMC has set up 15 artificial ponds on the river beds of both Kathajodi and Mahanadi to avoid gathering.

Earlier, there used to be a single immersion point at Devi Gada where 3/4 artificial ponds were set up on the river bed.