Puja pandals across Ranchi on Wednesday witnessed a surge in the number of devotees who are driven by their faith in Goddess Durga and also to get a feel the artistic splendour of the pandals made by several unsung heroes who sneaked into the State, performed their duty and would leave quietly for their home. The crowd kept on swelling as the day progressed.
Mysticism filled the air in the city which was evident by people rushing towards the temporary abode of deity with devotion visible in the eyes and prayer in the heart. It was a mad scramble towards Bakri Bazaar, the most popular destination for a mela enthusiast especially those who come from city outskirts, which intensified by evening. The pandal at Bakri Bazaar beguiled people as they stepped inside the premises. People could not resist the temptation of taking away snaps of the replica painted in golden colour and their snap with the replica in the background.
“This structure is beautiful. Isles made over water tanks forces one to stop, gaze the entire campus and of course get photographed to make the visit memorable,” said an Intermediate Student of St Xavier Ranchi, Preeti.
The Bakri Bazaar, contrary to its meaning, was occupied by several small eateries, luring a connoisseur of street food to stop and fill their belly after paying obeisance to the deity. The mela was dotted with security personnel in gears ready to edge out mischievous elements out of the premises and also to ensure that people stick to the etiquette set for entering pandal.
By the evening of Wednesday incidentally the seventh day of Navratra, it appeared as if entire city spilled over streets with clear roadmap of places to go and plans to enjoy after revering the Goddess.
luster of aluminum sheets of the pandal of RR Sporting pulled crowd from places like Chanho, Ratu and Mandar. The glass made idol of Durga was appreciated by people for the amount of work put in creating the structure. The entire stretch of Ratu Road was full of sellers of small items and stalls offering fun activity at a nominal cost.
Eco-friendly pandals were specially appreciated by Ranchiites as they realised the importance of environment and the need to protect it while discharging our duties towards society and God. Among all eco-friendly pandals the one made by lentils and pulses mesmerised people. The idol of Goddess Durga slaying demons stressed upon slaying today’s demon—pollution.
If the devotees were ubiquitous so were policemen in uniform at every nook and cranny to free road from congestion and keep trouble mongers in check.
Meanwhile in lohardaga around four dozens of small and big sized pandals have been made to celebrate the festival and people are pulled towards them by the devotional songs being played at each pandal. Streets in lohardaga are marked for felicitating entry and exit from an area.
HimanAB)P&Sports and Tourism Promotion Association (HASTPA), the Shimla-based MTB organising club, said this year’s route is through the lesser explored interiors of the lower Himalayas.
It crossed the Jalori Pass (3,135m) in Kullu district, the highest point of the rally. Sood says earlier the MTB Himalaya was attracting only a few Indians “but now the figures have swollen”.