Kolkata: Everyone involved in Durga Puja work will be vaccinated
The community Durga Puja committees in Kolkata will ensure that all those who are involved in the rituals and other related works are vaccinated in the next three months, an official said on Wednesday. The puja committees will also make certain that people visiting the pandals wear masks covering the nose and maintain social distancing, Forum for Durgotsab official Partha Ghosh said.
Dhakis to be vaccinated with at least one dose
"From our members and locals frequenting the pandals to artisans, priests, dhakis will be vaccinated," Ghosh said. "We expect everyone to get both doses but for dhakis coming from villages two-three days before the puja, we will ensure they get at least one dose," Ghosh added. Forum for Durgotsab is an umbrella organization of 550 community Durga Pujas in Kolkata and neighboring areas.
Offering of cut fruits to be prohibited
The pandals have to be built in such a way that devotees can see the idols from a distance and need not come near, as per the guidelines. "For pushpanjali, offering of cut fruits won't be allowed and physical distancing has to be maintained during the ritual," it said. The guidelines were similar to the ones set by the Calcutta High Court last year.
'Need to avoid huge turnout amid threat of third wave'
The puja committees are hoping that like last year no big turnout is witnessed amid the threat of the third wave of the pandemic, said Ghosh. "The challenge for every crowd-puller puja committee like ours will be how to strike a balance so that the pandals are built maintaining aesthetics while the idols can be seen from a distance," he said.
Durga Puja committees focusing on digital presence
The Durga Puja committees in the city are also focusing on digital presence to ensure that people can view the artworks from home. "We will put great emphasis on digital presence and project images with 3D effect to make it an enriching experience, even better than physical viewing," Soumen Dutta, the secretary of the award-winning Kashi Bose Lane Durga Puja committee in north Kolkata.
Festivities to start on October 12 this year
Several big-budget Durga Puja committees, including Sribhumi Sporting Club, Santoshpur Lake Pally, Hindustan Club, and Shib Mandir, held the Khuti Puja on Ratha Jatra. The ritual of Khuti Puja or worshipping a pole marks the beginning of the building of pandals. The festivities will begin this year on October 12 with Maha Saptami and go on till October 15, Bijaya Dashami.
