Devotees in large number thronged the temples and Durga Puja pandals in Dehradun on the occasion of Maha Navami on Friday, the final day of Navratri. The Maha Navami Puja was held at the temples and community puja pandals with gaiety and fervour with involvement of thousands of people.
The city continued to wear a festive look, as Ramleela along with folk dances are also being held at several places. A large number of devotees in the ethnic spectrum offered prayer in the morning amidst the chanting of mantras and attended the arti in the evening. Children and the youngsters looked enthusiastic while they attended the puja and participated in the cultural programmes held at the venues of the community pujas. The Bengali cuisine on display at the food stalls attracted many.
The traditional Navami puja was held on Friday at the community pujas being held at the Junior Club Premises near the Ordnance Factory Estate in Raipur, Bengali library, Old Survey Road, Hathibarkala, Bindal (Doon School), Doon Ghati, THDC Rishikesh, Raipur, Dharampur and Karanpur. The day began with the Maha Navami Puja in the morning followed by pushpanjali and bhog during the day. People gathered to collect prasad and bhog and also to seek blessing of the goddess. After bhog, yagya was held. In the evening, Dhunuchi dance and aarti were held in the presence of thousands of devotees.
Durga Puja Committee Raipur general secretary Tapas Chakraborty said that thousands flocked to the pandal in the evening to see the ‘dhunuchi’ dance and arti. Cultural programmes were held too. A play ‘Titir Mou’ for children directed and written by Ranjan Dutta was presented to the audience besides the play ‘ Hingshute Daityo’ directed by Rupa Chakraborty. A comedy play “Adorer Bandor” was performed under the direction of Ksihna Chaudhury.
Kumari Puja — the tradition of worshipping a virgin girl as an incarnation of the mother Durga as conceived by Swami Vivekananda for the puja at Belur Math near Kolkata was held at many places. Devotees took blessings from the girls.
Sushma, one of the devotees found offering puja at Bengali library, said that things were electrifying on the final day of the puja.
“However, gloom is hanging over us as the puja is drawing to an end with the immersion on Saturday. Nine girls were picked up for the auspicious Kumari Puja, a tradition strated by Swamiji at Belur Math. We took bhog after the Kumari Puja was over. It comprised black gram, jao, puri, halwa and jaggery,” she added.
