An Eiffel Tower replica dazzles at the night at Shantipur in Guwahati on Sunday. Picture by Eastern Projections
Guwahati/Shillong, Oct. 6: Revellers thronged Puja pandals in both Guwahati and Shillong, braving rains and terror threats, amid very tight security in the two state capitals today.
The four-day celebrations began in Shillong amid a flutter as an abandoned bag at Police Bazar created panic in the busy area this morning. Police, however, later found that the bag contained some clothes. Superintendent of police of East Khasi Hills A.R. Mawthoh said a man from Calcutta claimed the bag from the police saying he had kept it in a shop and forgotten to take it back.
The SP said elaborate security arrangements had been made for a peaceful Puja.
Besides the existing police forces, six more companies of police were deployed for security duty in and around the pandals. Two more companies of additional paramilitary forces will help the police if the need arose. The police personnel on duty were asked to have close look at the abandoned objects, dustbins and motorbikes parked near the Puja pandals as preventive measures.
The Central Puja Committee, the nodal agency co-ordinating the Puja celebrations in Shillong, had a series of meetings with the East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner B. Dhar and discussed the security requirements. The volunteers of the committee are also helping the police to maintain law and order. None of the Puja pandals, however, have CCTV.
Meghalaya chief secretary Ranjan Chatterjee said bomb disposal squads, the army, the air force and the city hospitals had been alerted for any kind of eventuality.
In Guwahati, Durga Puja was welcomed in a grand manner on the first day (Saptami) of the four-day festival today.
Thousands came out of their homes sporting their festive best and visited several Puja pandals.
The idol of the goddess clad in colourful attire and different sizes remained the centre of attraction at nearly 500 Puja pandals across greater Guwahati and both young and old prayed for peace and prosperity.
Mridul Sarma, a government official and resident of Chandmari, said, “The sun came out bright in the morning and it inspired my entire family to visit the Puja pandals on the GNB Road before noon.” He said the rain would not be a spoilsport for his family and they would go out pandal-hopping and eat out in the evening.
“I cannot miss the Puja festivities even for a single day and love to spend lavishly,” he said.
Rana Goswami, assistant treasurer of the Pub Guwahati Rajkhowa Durga Puja Committee, said, “Going by the number of visitors today we are expecting lakhs of devotees to visit the pandal in the coming days. We hope and pray for a sunny weather so that the people enjoy the festival at their best.” He added that the committee has made all arrangements, including boys and girls volunteers to maintain discipline and prevent any untoward incident in and around the Puja pandal.
Similar was the situation at other Puja pandals. B. Das, secretary of the Guwahati Sarbajanin Durga Puja Samity at Latasil playground, said the committee has made arrangements for cultural programmes everyday during the Pujas for more fun and frolic.
There was heavy rush at Fancy Bazar, Lakhtoklia, Paltan Bazar and many shopping malls the last-minute Puja shopping. Long queues were seen in front of ATMs of different banks. Security arrangements have been made in front of every Puja pandal. Some of the Puja pandals at Panbazar, Latasil and Maligaon have prominently displayed the telephone numbers of police stations, officials and members of the Puja committees so that the visitors can lodge a complain and inform in case of any untoward incident. source: the telegraph india
The four-day celebrations began in Shillong amid a flutter as an abandoned bag at Police Bazar created panic in the busy area this morning. Police, however, later found that the bag contained some clothes. Superintendent of police of East Khasi Hills A.R. Mawthoh said a man from Calcutta claimed the bag from the police saying he had kept it in a shop and forgotten to take it back.
The SP said elaborate security arrangements had been made for a peaceful Puja.
Besides the existing police forces, six more companies of police were deployed for security duty in and around the pandals. Two more companies of additional paramilitary forces will help the police if the need arose. The police personnel on duty were asked to have close look at the abandoned objects, dustbins and motorbikes parked near the Puja pandals as preventive measures.
The Central Puja Committee, the nodal agency co-ordinating the Puja celebrations in Shillong, had a series of meetings with the East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner B. Dhar and discussed the security requirements. The volunteers of the committee are also helping the police to maintain law and order. None of the Puja pandals, however, have CCTV.
Meghalaya chief secretary Ranjan Chatterjee said bomb disposal squads, the army, the air force and the city hospitals had been alerted for any kind of eventuality.
In Guwahati, Durga Puja was welcomed in a grand manner on the first day (Saptami) of the four-day festival today.
Thousands came out of their homes sporting their festive best and visited several Puja pandals.
The idol of the goddess clad in colourful attire and different sizes remained the centre of attraction at nearly 500 Puja pandals across greater Guwahati and both young and old prayed for peace and prosperity.
Mridul Sarma, a government official and resident of Chandmari, said, “The sun came out bright in the morning and it inspired my entire family to visit the Puja pandals on the GNB Road before noon.” He said the rain would not be a spoilsport for his family and they would go out pandal-hopping and eat out in the evening.
“I cannot miss the Puja festivities even for a single day and love to spend lavishly,” he said.
Rana Goswami, assistant treasurer of the Pub Guwahati Rajkhowa Durga Puja Committee, said, “Going by the number of visitors today we are expecting lakhs of devotees to visit the pandal in the coming days. We hope and pray for a sunny weather so that the people enjoy the festival at their best.” He added that the committee has made all arrangements, including boys and girls volunteers to maintain discipline and prevent any untoward incident in and around the Puja pandal.
Similar was the situation at other Puja pandals. B. Das, secretary of the Guwahati Sarbajanin Durga Puja Samity at Latasil playground, said the committee has made arrangements for cultural programmes everyday during the Pujas for more fun and frolic.
There was heavy rush at Fancy Bazar, Lakhtoklia, Paltan Bazar and many shopping malls the last-minute Puja shopping. Long queues were seen in front of ATMs of different banks. Security arrangements have been made in front of every Puja pandal. Some of the Puja pandals at Panbazar, Latasil and Maligaon have prominently displayed the telephone numbers of police stations, officials and members of the Puja committees so that the visitors can lodge a complain and inform in case of any untoward incident. source: the telegraph india
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