Eiffel Tower replica in Guwahati Durga Puja

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

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Guwahati Durga Puja : Great Wall of China replica this puja

Have a glimpse of Great Wall of China replica this puja
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 4: The Kalibari Puja Committee along with the Jagriti Sangha will put up a caricature of the Great Wall of China during this years puja celebrations. Designed by noted designer Nuruddin Ahmed, the replica of the wall is 1,100 feet in length and 40 feet in height. People can take a walk on the wall and the main aim for putting up this structure is to make people aware of the great structure of the world.

The Great Wall of China is the only man-made object to seen from space.
According to the organizers of the committee, the puja has a total budget of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 4 lakh will be spent on the pandal. This time lighting in the pandal will be kept to the minimum and the money saved would be donated to flood-affected people of the State. Last year, this puja committee donated money to the Snehalaya.

Another attraction of this puja will be a special Beijing Olympic pavilion with clips of this years Olympics being displayed on giant screens. There will also be a show of a fight between a dragon and a dinosaur. The pandal will also feature replicas of temples of China.

According to the organizers, the security aspect at the pandal will be looked by 200 volunteers and 20 private security guards, apart from the normal presence of police and CRPF personnel.
source: sentinel assam

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Durga Puja in New Jersey USA

Kallol of New Jersey, is a Tax Exempt Non-Profit Organization Dedicated to Fostering the Excellence of Indian and Bengali Culture in New Jersey, USA.

Durga Puja 2008

Cordially invites you with your family to participate in our 2008

Durga Puja will be held on October 3, 4 & 5, 2008 At the Ukranian Church and Cultural Center in Somerset, New Jersey

Kallol invites you to also participate in our

To be held on Saturday, October 11, 2008 At the Kiddie Keep Well Camp 85 Roosevelt Drive, Edison NJ 08837

With Regards

Soumen Roy
President, Kallol of NJ and,
Chairman, NJDP of Kallol, 2008

Over the last several years we have had a large increase in the number of people attending Kallol´s Durga Puja which we are very happy about. Unfortunately, as you know, the Ukranian Center Hall has limited accommodation in the main hall. We have had to restrict entry in the main hall in the previous years in compliance with township rules and fire codes. This year we are introducing an online registration system to provide you with an opportunity for pre-registration which will guarantee entry. We may not be able to admit you without pre-registration if we reach capacity.

Kallol Member´s	:	$60.00
Non- Member’s	:	$65.00 [Online Pre Registration Special]
Student with ID	:	$40.00
Children [12-18 YRS]	:	$30.00
Children [Below 12 YRS]	:	Free

Registration information for Lakshmi Puja will be provided soon.

Venue

Ukranian Cultural Center, 135, Davidson Avenue, Somerset, NJ 08873

Directions

From Interstate 287 North
Take exit 10 (Rt. 527 / Easton Avenue
Go right towards Bound Brook and turn left at the first traffic light onto Davidson Avenue
The Ukranian Cultural Center and parking will be to your right

From Interstate 287 South
Take exit 10 for New Brunswick / Easton Avenue
Turn left onto Easton Avenue and go underneath the highway I-287
Turn left at the first light onto Davidson Avenue
The Ukranian Cultural Center and parking will be to your right

From Route 18
Take Route 18 from Rt 1 towards New Brunswick past the Raritan River and after the bridge, make a left at the first traffic road onto River Road
Go to the junction of I-287 and enter onto I-287 North
Then follow directions from above

History of Kallol

In 1975 a group of imaginative Bengalis from Kolkata-India instituted ‘Kallol of NJ´ to establish a cultural and social base here in the United States. Thriving ever since, ‘Kallol´ today now stands alone as the undisputed foremost organization of all the Bengali communities in this nation.

With a mission to bridge the societal gap between the Indian sub-continent and the United States, our involvements are geared to promote exchange of multicultural programs, to enhance literary endeavors, to encourage athletic activities, and to serve as a platform extending assistance to needy people of all ethnic backgrounds.

Mission and Vision

To uphold our goals and objectives as an association serving the community, we habitually organize events addressing:

- Cultural programs and dramas

- Programs for the children

- Promotion of Bengali language for the children

- Distribution of books and magazines from India

- Publication of literary magazine and news bulletin

- Picnics and outings

- Athletic activities

- Celebration of ethnically oriented Pujas

- Interaction initiatives with similar other cultural groups

for more details visit: http://www.kallol.com

Durga Puja ‘gift’ for sick PSU staff

A STAFF REPORTER

Guwahati, Sept. 27: Assam government today announced a Puja “gift” for nearly 5,000 employees of 14 closed and ailing public sector units. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi today told reporters that Dispur would be releasing liabilities of Rs 193 crore before the festivities. Of the total Rs 360 crore liabilities, the government has already released Rs 143 crore. This amount will be paid to the employees under the voluntary retirement and provident fund benefits, he said. The government also raised the puja incentive of grade IV employees from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,600. “Over one lakh grade IV employees will benefit from this,” Gogoi said. Besides, Rs 300 will be paid to Anganwadi workers and Rs 200 to Anganwadi helpers retrospectively from last April. Moreover, the state government will also release Rs 50 crore for the sick Assam Tea Corporation Limited gardens to help clear the company’s dues, he added. Gogoi said the government has also been working out plans to make pension process “friendlier” for its employees. “Retired persons will no longer face any hardship to procure pension benefits from now on,” Gogoi said, adding that the entire procedure would be made much simpler than the existing one. He said the government has also released Rs 344 crore for the flood-hit farmers and over 2,40,000 farmers were benefited by it.

source: telegraph india

visit: www.madurgapuja.com

Invoking the goddess Durga

Rituparna Goswami Pandey 20 October, 2007 06:01:00

Durga puja is awaited with bated breath every year and the goddess is given a tearful farewell every year at the end of the puja, and this year won’t be any different either. Guwahati’s heart throbbed with festive fervour as devotees offered ‘anjali’ in their ‘para pandals’ Guwahatians pulsated with the puja spirit indulging in pandal hopping and invoking the goddess with hearts brimming with pious devotion. For once the markets had a forsaken look as the usual customers turned devotees attired in their festive best visited pandals instead of shops luring them with festive discounts.

Strangely Guwahati lacked the usual crowded streets during the puja days for traffic moved easily in the usually packed streets and by lanes except in particular areas where a few traffic snarls were spotted. However, a day later the devotees turned up in large numbers. The puja pandals dazzling with breath taking decorations and lightings drew huge number of people with the celebration of the auspicious mahaastami. The air reverbrated with the chanting of mantras and the beats of the dhak.

However, this year puja pandals though crammed with devotees also saw a huge deployment of security personnels as the pandals being sensitive spots and susceptible to terrorist attacks are under the police scanner. The disturbed times today has dampened the spirits of devotees making them extra cautious in their movements. Perhaps this is the reason behind the low turn out of people in the streets.

Traditionally, the five day puja celebrations begin with Mahalaya when one is able to perform any number of shradha ceremonies of one’s departed relatives. Then comes the Sandi Paath after which begins the rituals of puja. Legends hold that Lord Rama had offered puja to devi Durga in order to get her blessings in the killing of the evil called Ravana. Chronologically speaking Sashthi is the first day of puja when the goddess is put on a pedestal and the priests invite her to their midst which is followed by Saptami the second day when the proceedings begin by bathing the goddess. Maha Ashtami is a repeat of the previous day where sometimes animal sacrifices are offered to please the goddess, a primitive or rather pagan ritual that needs to be eradicated from our culture as it has no place in our developed society. However after navami finally the last day of puja is Vijaya Dashami when the devotees bid a tearful farewell to the goddess.

Guwahati alone boasts of more than 600 pujas, the oldest being Hari Sabha in Panbazar. Pandals in Beltola, Ganeshguri, Silpukhuri, Uzanbazar, Kumarpara etc witness the maximum rush and today laser shows in certain pandals are a huge crowd puller.

Come let us all invoke the goddess and ask her to grant us the beauty of soul, the taste of sweet success, give us name and fame and destroy the evil forces in us and show everyone the right direction.

“Rupang dehi, jayang dehi, jasho dehi dishu jehi ”

Photo: People throng on the occasion of Maha Navami during Durga puja celebrations in Sivasagar, Assam on 20-10-2007. Picture by Luit Chaliha.
source: http://www.assamtimes.org/index.php?news=571

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