Durga pandals: Entry only for fully vaccinated at Hyderabad

Hyderabad: With the Covid taking a backseat for a while, the local Bengalis are gearing up celebrate the Durga Puja with pomp and gaiety for five days this year starting from Monday with all precautions in place.

While some puja committees have decided to hold the puja in physical and virtual mode by following all Covid norms, a few committees, going a step further, have planned to allow fully vaccinated people into the pandals and those who have not taken any dose of vaccine should show that they are not Covid-infected by showing the RT-PCR test report at the entrance.

Dilip Bhattacherjee, executive member, Hyderabad Bangalee Samity (HBS) said, "As Covid pandemic has changed the way of life, the HBS will witness little change in this year's celebration. This is our 80th year of Durga Puja celebration and we will have both physical and virtual celebrations at Pingali Venkatrama Reddy Hall. This year will have slot booking offering Anjali on all five days. All devotees are allowed, but a few at a time. Also, the Bhog (Parsad) will be packed and given to devotees. All our cultural programmes will be telecast on our You Tube channel.

This year idol is being made at Dairy Farm Road." According to Subrata Ganguly, general secretary, Bangiya Sanskritik Sangha (BSS), "Every year, people wait for BSS Durga puja because of its decoration, huge idol and also for various food stalls. This year, we are celebrating Durga Puja at Mahbub College. Keeping in mind the pandemic situation, we limited the idol's height at 7 feet as against above 12-feet every year. Also, this time we planned physical and virtual puja too. Only people who are fully vaccinated will be allowed."

Manish Neogi, executive member, HCBS, Ghansi Bazaar said, "For the last 37 years, we have been celebrating Durga Puja. It is one of the oldest pujas in the Old City. Like last year, we have organised the puja on a low scale. This year, we plan to celebrate in a grand manner by following the Covid rules. We have planned a grand procession on October 15 on Vijay Dasami day (Dasara) from Ghansi Bazaar to Hussainsagar."

Utsab Cultural Association, Gachibowli, executive member Indranil said, "We have planned physical puja and only fully vaccinated people can enter the premises; those who have not taken any dose should have RT-PCR report. The priest, drummers and also cooks are specially brought from West Bengal to maintain the tradition and culture of the puja. Devotees who cannot visit our pandal can hear melodious sounds of daakis (drums) and offer prayers to the goddess through their cell phones."

Subhro Mukherjee, general secretary, CBA said, "We have planned physical puja by following all Covid protocols at Nareen Gardens, Miyapur. Also, all rituals will be followed in a traditional manner. The idol is based on a traditional 'Ek Chala' design that is used in Bengali households to worship Durga. It is designed by Hyderabad-based artisans at Balanagar. Our cultural programme will be telecast on our YouTube channel on all five days."