Tripura observes Navami amidst Covid restrictions; CM visits pandals at Unakoti, meets Thanga Darlong
Amidst strict adherence to Covid19 restriction, Maha Navami Pujas were performed on Sunday morning across the State. On this day, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and his wife Niti Deb visited two community Durga Puja Pandals in Unakoti and also met Padmashree awardee Thanga Darlong at later’s residence.
At Durgabari – one of the famous temples built by former princely rulers of Tripura – Maha Navami Puja was performed sans presence of devotees.
“Devotees were not allowed inside the Durga Bari owing to Corona scare. Pushpanjali was not offered and Prasads were also distributed among the devotees”, priest of the Durga Bari Pandit Jayanta Bhattacharjee said.
As the rain god is not interfering, revelers in numbers have come out and visiting the Pandals. “After almost three days’ lull, today pandal hoppers are active even as overall ambience is missing the grandeur and funfare of Durgotsav”, said a member of Oikyotan club in Agartala. However, volunteers are alert and relentlessly working to ensure that there is no crowding near the pandal, he added.
Even as there is no fun-fare and splendor, an auro of sadness in ambience is all pervading since morning as priests stated Navami Puja – the 5-day long Puja of Maa Durga will be ended on Monday at Bijoya Dasami.
In district towns also, people ventured out of their homes and visited Puja pandals amidst tight Covid19 restrictions.
First two days – Sashthi and Saptami – went wasted due to rains. Weather started to be better then after and puja spirit started to pick up, sources said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and his wife Niti Deb went to visit couple of community Durga Puja in Unakoti district.
“Last year I visited many Durga pandals across the State. However, it was not possible this year as maintaining social distancing during my Pandals visits could have been difficult. On auspicious Navami, I decided to visit couple of Puja in rural areas without affecting social distancing”, Deb said.
According to his tweets, Deb visited Joy Hind Club at Ganganagar in Bilaspur under Unakoti today and expressed hope that mankind would become free the clutches of deadly Covid19 very soon with the blessings of Maa Durga. He also visited Osha Lampra Puja committee organized Durga Puja at Bilashpur area.
Later, Deb along with his wife visited house of 101 years old Padmashree Thanga Darlong’s house at Muraibari under Deorachhera ADC Village in Kailashahar. They exchanged pleasantries and Deb sought blessings of centenarian Thanga Darlong. Speaking to media, he said, blessings of our persons like Thanga Darlong is very much essential during such a crisis period. With the blessings of Maa Durga and good wishes of Thanga Darlong, we will be able to come out of the Pandemic soon, he commented.