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Lucknow set for Durga Puja amid Covid norms for second successive year
While most of the Durga Puja committees had installed idols in Lucknow last year, some performed the worship symbolically with a kalash (urn) due to the pandemic
Lucknow will renew its bond of piety with the Goddess as the five-day Durga Puja celebrations begin on Monday amid observance of social distancing and other Covid protocols for the second successive year.
Some of the prominent venues for the Durga Puja celebrations in Lucknow this year are: Ramakrishna Math in Nirala Nagar, Mitro Sangho at Model House, Bengali Club & Youngmen’s Association on Shivaji Marg (Hewett Road), Trans-Gomti Dussehra and Durga Puja Committee in Aliganj and Rabinidra Palli among others.
While most of the Durga Puja committees had installed idols in Lucknow last year, some performed the worship symbolically with a kalash (urn) due to the pandemic.
This year, the Covid situation is under control. For instance, no fresh Covid case was reported in Lucknow on Saturday. According to the state health department data, there are 33 active Covid cases under treatment in Lucknow and a majority are in home isolation.
Kumari Puja to be the highlight at Ramakrishna Math
As in the previous years, Ramakrishna Math, Nirala Nagar, would be a prominent venue of the celebrations in Lucknow and the highlight would be Kumari Puja on October 13.
During Kumari Puja, Goddess Durga would be invoked in a six-year-old girl and worshipped by sanyasis of the Ramakrishna order.
“The special attention of the festival will be (on) Kumari Puja i.e, worship of Devi Durga in the form of a six-year-old girl at 9.30am on Wednesday (October 13). It symbolises the special presence of the Divine Mother within every woman,” said Swami Muktinathananda, adhyaksha (head of the Math).
“Shortlisting a little girl for the occasion is a difficult task as several devotees aspire to see their daughter being worshipped as the deity. We do a small session with a few girls to see how long they can sit quietly. On Ashtami day, the girl will be draped in a saree, to be decked with flower ornaments and a lot more,” he said.
Another special attraction will be Sandhi puja, the climax of the five-day celebration. It will comprise the concluding 24 minutes of Ashtami and the first 24 minutes of Navami tithi from 7.44pm to 8.32pm on Wednesday (October 13).
“Durga Puja will be celebrated by the Ramakrishna Math on its spacious campus at Nirala Nagar, Lucknow, from Monday, October 11 till Friday, October 15, while maintaining the social distancing and other protocols in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. All the programmes will be live streamed on the official YouTube channel: Ramakrishna Math, Lucknow,” he added.
Mitro Sangho pandal depicts temple on ship
Established in 1975, the Mitro Sangho Durga Puja committee of Model House has set up a big pandal this year that depicts a temple on the deck of a ship, said Nitesh Tewari, general secretary of this puja committee. He also said UP technical education minister Jitin Prasada would visit the pandal at 6.30pm on October 12 while law minister Brajesh Pathak will be there on October 13 around the same time.
Anando Mela starts festivities at Bengali Club
To celebrate the homecoming of the Goddess, the more than century old Bengali Club organised Anando Mela on Sunday. Bengali Club president Arun Banerjee said, “It was our pleasure to see hundreds of people throng the club premises to enjoy the get-together where several food stalls were set up by women members and their families.”
“Durga Puja is our most awaited celebration of the year and we really wish to multiply this enjoyment with your (devotees’) presence during this Sharodiya Utsav,” he said.
Portraying rural Bengal at Trans-Gomti puja
Like the previous year, this time, too, Trans-Gomti Dussehra and Durga Puja will not hold the rituals at the usual venue Chandra Shekhar Azad Park in the Aliganj area. Rather, the worship will be done indoors opposite the park. Durga Puja committee president Dr Kar Choudhary said, “Our theme is simple. We are replicating Gram Bangla (rural Bengal) on the puja premises. Owing to Covid-19, bhog prasad will not be distributed to the masses.”
Rabindra Palli: Idol to be back
Owing to the Covid situation, the Rabindra Palli Durga Puja committee did not place an order for a Durga idol last year. Instead, they did Kalash puja and it was only open for members and their family. This year, the 38-year-old puja committee will have a Durga idol in place as the Covid-19 situation has eased, said Pankaj Bose, general secretary of this puja committee.
