The Nayapalli Durga Puja Samiti (NDPS) on the occasion of Janamashtami collected sacred soil from Kuakhai river bed amid elaborate rituals including bhajans and kirtans to prepare clay idol of goddess Durga for the ensuing Dussehra to be held in October this year.
To celebrate the 26th annual Durga Puja, the samiti collected the sacred soil after performing pujas and observing several rituals and brought the soil in a procession to the Samiti mandap here.
Believing that Goddess Durga was born as Bijuli Kanya to mother Yashoda in Gopapur in Dwapar era the same day lord Krishna was born to Debaki, we observe the day as sacred and collect soil for making idol, said Samiti president Pabitra Mohan Behera.
The sacred soils would now be worshipped at the Devi gharas (puja pandals) and Bengali artisans would be engaged in making the clay idols, said Behera.