Only smaller Durga idols in UP this year due to late nod to celebrations

Most Durga puja committees have ordered for small size idols given the paucity of time before the beginning of the festival.

Idols of goddess Durga on display at Durga Puja pandals in Uttar Pradesh this year will not be of more than six feet height, and in many cases it will be even smaller, as idol makers are left with very little time after the state government’s late nod for holding Durga puja celebrations.

Idols of goddess Durga are being given the finishing touches ahead of the festival. (HT Photo)

Celebrations this year will also be without the distribution of khichdi bhog and prasad because of Covid-19 pandemic. There will be no fancy pandals or elaborate lighting arrangements either. Only simple Durga puja rituals will be carried out in the most solemn manner.

Neeloy Kumar Mitra, a prominent idol maker at Talkatora said, “We are making smaller-size Durga idols as in this limited time frame, one cannot make the bigger ones. Many of the puja committees placed orders for smaller size idols of around 5-6 feet because they are keeping Durga puja a low key affair.”

Mitra, a pass out of Arts College, Lucknow said, “We have received orders from 17-18 puja committees like Sahara State, Anand Nagar, Vikas Nagar. All of them said they don’t want an idol of more than 6 feet in height as it will cause inconvenience during immersion in Covid times.”

Sujit Pal, an idol maker at Rabindra Palli said that due to availability of fewer workers in Covid times, they are making smaller idols.

“Bengali Club has placed an order for a six feet high idol. Other puja committees expressed a similar desire as there’s very little time left now,” said Pal, who also graduated from Arts College.

RDSO Durga Puja will be organized at a new site this year with a much smaller Durga idol. Instead of Rajdhani Hall, this year’s Durga puja will be held at Milani, RDSO, Lucknow campus.

“It will remain open for members only as per state government’s Covid guidelines. The volunteers will have to go through thermal screening. There will be no distribution of bhog prasad, or a cultural programme. Only Puja rituals will be held,” said Tirtho Sengupta, general secretary of the puja committee.

Sudip Sanyal of La Touche Road Durga puja committee said they too have ordered for a small size idol as the state government’s nod for Durga puja came quite late.

“There will be no Anand mela, cultural programme, etc. We will follow government guidelines and all SOPs, etc,” said Arun Banerjee, the president of Bengali club.