BHUBANESWAR: This year, the Durga Puja celebrations will be up by a notch with increased focus on innovation and uniqueness by the Puja committees. Though the flood situation may have made some puja committees to scale down the revelry, the festive mood prevails. The last minute preparations are on in full swing. The main attraction this Puja would no doubt be the ‘chandi medha’ being put up by Old Station Bazaar’s Committee. Amongst the oldest pujas completing more than 50 years of celebrations, the ‘chandi medha’ will be seen for the first time in Bhubaneswar’s Durga Pujas. With a budget of `1.50 crore, the complete ‘medha’ and the statue weigh around 165 kg. Through the pandal, based on village theme, the committee members are trying to revive the rural culture where puja celebrations were simple and more about celebrating the happiness that comes with the puja, said Ganesh Prasad Sahoo, committee president. They are trying to send a social message by inviting women suffering from leprosy to take part in ‘Ashtami’s Brata Puja’ to show the public that they are a part of the society, not aloof. Tha Rasulagarh Puja pandal is a replica of Bangok’s Buddha Place created by labourers from Kolkata in a span of 50 days. With Oriya cine artistes lined up for the cultural programme it is all set to be a gala celebration. For immersion, doing away with the traditional style, the committee plans to bring in camels from Puri, horses and torch bearers to accompany the procession. This will be one of its kind, said the treasurer of the committee, Sridhar Baliarsingh. They will also have a Meena Bazaar. Keeping in mind the flood situation, the Nayapalli Puja Committee and Shahid Nagar committees have cancelled cultural programmes and instead will be organising ‘bhajan samaroh’.
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