Durga puja celebrations virtual this year too

Covid19 pandemic has put a halt on all sorts of celebrations. The restrictions imposed on holding celebrations in a grand way have been kept aside by many Durgotsab committees in Pune city too.

Pune Pulse spoke to a few pandals in the city to know the way forward. With the restrictions imposed on the celebrations, many pandals in the city have opted for token system for darshan as well as Bhog. The pandals have tied up with local food delivery partners to deliver khichuri to devotees who have pre-booked. Also, only those who have taken both the doses are allowed to enter the pandal.  

Like last year, this year too Shri Bichkshana Durgotsab was held at the founder president Jayanta Chakraborty’s home due to Covid19 pandemic. He said, “The darshan is kept restricted due to the pandemic. The celebrations are streamed online for devotees.”

Shri Bichkshana Durgotsab committee holds Durga Puja every year at Sankat Haran Mahadev Mandir on NIBM road. He further said that very few known people are invited for the puja keeping in mind the pandemic. 

Anandam Association on Salunke Vihar road has also kept the celebrations restricted and are allowing only a few selected people. The darshan facility is arranged by the pandals on the social media platforms. 

Rupak Kumar Sinha from Aamantran which holds Durga Puja celebrations on B T Kawade road said, “We have restricted entry to people for darshan. Also bhog is pre-booked by people and we are asking them to pick up the packets from the pandal. This year we are celebrating it in a club house. On the first day we took all senior citizens for darshan before it could have got crowded. This year we also conducted a blood donation camp at AFMC Pune where 45 people donated blood. We are streaming online darshan for the devotees.” 

Dona Kundu from Amanora’s Chitrani Durga Utsav Samiti said, “We don’t have any parcel facility of bhog. We have kept whole fruits as bhog which devotees can take. There is no pre booking for darshan as we think that everyone is equal.” 

Biswajit Saha from Oikyotan Bangiya Parishad while speaking to Pune Pulse said, “This being the 10th Durga Puja of Oikyotan, it has been meticulously planned in Kapse Lawns, Pimple Saudagar in a hybrid manner. The idol is in a smaller size, all puja rituals performed are simultaneously live streamed via OBP’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. The entry of ‘darshanarthi’ (visitors) has been restricted to only members and in a slot-wise manner to abide by the COVID protocols and restrictions by authorities.Each day of Puja has a color code which reflects in the wrist-bands provided to members so that members can be easily identified during entry to the venue.” 

Azadnagar Sarbojanin Durgotsav Samiti in Azad Nagar Wanowrie said that the pandal is abiding by all the rules. We are allowing people in a slot wise manner to avoid crowding. Bhog is parceled and sent via online food delivery partners. This is the seventh year of the celebrations.