Durga Puja in Jagatsinghpur Orissa

Dismal Dussehra for flood victims
Statesman News Service JAGATSINGHPUR, Oct. 3: Dusshera for many is a festival of happiness, an occasion to celebrate triumph of good over evil, a time of rejoices. For them, this year’s festival witnesses full of sorrows, struggle for survival and a time to condole. In recent flood, 1.47 lakh people of 188 villages under 61 panchayats who are still reeling under multifarious problems left behind by the super flood. Though, the festive mood has set in elsewhere, in these villagers’ sorrows and gasps of frustration hang heavy in the air. Every year, Dusshera is celebrated at Punag and Sirlo with pomp and grandeur in rural areas and other town areas in Paradip, Kujang, Tirtol, Biridi, Jagatsinghpur, Balikuda. Thousands of people throng to these villages to witness Goddess Durga while many also thong to Cuttack and Kolkata to witness this festival. More than 300 pandals are erected in these areas for the attraction of the devotees. But this year, the devastating effects of flood and escalating prices of essential commodities have abated the festive spirit in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts. One Kabita Bhoi of Nharbari village has expressed that every year, we go to Cuttack to witness Goddess Durga and purchase new saree, dress materials for children but his year , we have lost every thing in flood and my thatched houses have destroyed in flood water so we are living in neighbour’s house. Another woman Mrs Sundari Dei of Shardiha village under Kujang block says that she has not only lost houses and property but has lost clothes and dress materials so there is no new sarees to witness Goddess Durga. She alleged that administration has given only relief but no clothes so how could they go out side to witness this festival. One Sangram Biswal of Telsara village under Naugaon block has lost his only 15 years old daughter Bibhuti Biswal in this flood has expressed her sorrow in full of twist eyes that “My daughter requested him to go Cuttack for witnessing Dusshera festival and to purchase dress for her so he committed to go Cuttack. But Goddess Durga did not full fill her dream and taken her for ever. - says her mother in choked voice. It is learnt that Bibhuti Biswal was swept away in the flood water in Naugaon area. “When my three children including two daughters cry for new dress to wear for Dusshera, I beat them up. What else can I do? There is no money not any work,” says one Debendra Bhoi of Banasara viage under Tirtol block. He used to earn a living as a daily labourer in Tirtol areas. Other flood victims say that they have no money to feed their children. Nor is any job available to earn money. For them, this year’s Dusshera forebodes misery and agony. Another one woman victim Sabitri Behera of Kujang area is working as domestic servant in the house of one officer in Paradip to earn money and saving money so that she can take her children to witness Durga Puja.Besides the common people, now businessmen have also little to cheer this puja. With people finding it difficult to pool resources to restore normalcy in their lives, business have severely hit in these areas. A cloth merchant of Rahama said that this bazaar was completely submerged in flood water so he has not stocked puja material due to loss in business.
Statesman News Service