Durga Puja: Vibrant celebrations return after 2 years as people throng pandals in Delhi

After two years of muted celebrations owing to Covid, Durga puja pandals in Delhi were packed with crowd as a large number of people thronged to offer prayers on ‘maha-astami’ on Monday.

With dhaakis filling theair with the rhythm of the festival, people offered prayers, enjoyed delicacies at food stalls put up outside pandals in several areas and also got a chance to watch ‘Dhunuchi’ dance — a tradition associated with Durga Puja in which people hold an earthen pot emitting smoke while dancing in front of the goddess.

Cultural programmes were also held at many of these pandals.

Many Durga puja committees in the capital have also opted for theme-base pandal this year.

Also read: ‘Dhaakis’ fill the air with festive beats

Earlier, CR park puja committee had said that budgets have been slashed by around 25 per cent this year due to a paucity of funds and sponsors.

Durga Puja, widely observed by the Hindu communities in the eastern part of India, is the largest festival celebrated by Bengalis. It is a five-day long festival of lights and drums, coupled with meat and fish delicacies spread out in food stalls inside the pandals where Goddess Durga sits with her five children, in pomp and glory.

This year, celebrations are more special for its grand comeback after two years of hiatus due to Covid-19 pandemic. People danced to the beats of the dhaak (Bengali drum), watched recitals, drama, live shows, dhunuchi dance (holding clay bowls filled with coconut husks and burning charcoal) and devour exemplary food during the five days of Durga puja.