DURGA PUJA IS EVERYWHERE IN ROURKELA BUT WITH LOW MORALE BECAUSE OF RESTRICTIONS

Rajesh Mohapatra,ODishbarta

ROURKELA: Rourkela is a multilingual city performs every Puja irrespective of religions. Mostly Durga Puja has been observed very lavishly and with full of joy but this time it has fade down because of restriction by the local administration due to corona. Since there is ‘no’ for gathering in the puja pendals and strict directions have been given by the local administration, no rush is seen near puja pendals in Rourkela excepting few individual devotees visiting pendals to perform puja.

Today is Asthami and nothing of that short is observed or feel is coming because no mike, no light no gathering and moreover small Maa Durga Idols, makes people disheartening. Young children and ladies in particular who have had been enjoying shopping and fooding outside near pendals is not observed because of restriction. It gives a feeling as if no Puja is going on. Hardly has it come to knowledge that Puja is going on and pundits are murmuring with shlokas without mike no sense for devotees. No mina bazaar is there and small pendals gives a negative though in mind whether the same scenario will continue next time on this Puja.

Fruit sellers who had been selling good quantity of fruits in puja time is sitting ideal with no customers and they have also limited their stocks. The core info is, this time puja ethos has gone and for certain this all has happened for good reasons. To fight corona we have to stop infections and for that social distancing is essential and low gathering will give better result. Everybody is expecting a beautiful Puja next time and we also wish the same.