Jamshedpur:

Over 300 community Durga Puja committees in Jamshedpur refrained from playing music and cancelled cultural programmes on Thursday as a mark of respect to Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons Ratan Naval Tata, who died in a Mumbai hospital a day ago.

A senior functionary of the Central Durga Puja Committee of the city said some of the organisers have also put up Tata’s photograph beside the marquees.

“We have appealed to all the community puja committees to observe the festival in a simple manner and urged them not to play any music, barring mandatory instruments like ‘dhak’ (drum) etc, to pay respect to Ratan Tata,” General Secretary of the Central Puja Committee, Ashutosh Kumar Singh, told PTI.

Altogether 332 community puja committees affiliated to the Central Committee unanimously agreed to the call and stopped playing music, except those related to the puja. Some of them even cancelled all cultural programmes scheduled for the day, Singh said.

Tata, who died at the age of 86 years, had immense contribution to the development of the city as well as its industries, trade and businesses, Mr Singh added.

Meanwhile, Jamshedpur Football Club also paid tribute to Tata before the players resumed practice after a four-day break.

The team observed a moment of silence in memory of Tata, whose legacy has greatly influenced the club and the community, the club said in a statement. 

Patna:

Bihar government has cancelled the leave of all police personnel and officers ahead of the Durga Puja festival to ensure communal harmony and maintain law and order.

A letter from the office of Additional Director General (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar was issued to district SSPs, SPs, commandants of Bihar police battalions, and principals of the Bihar police academy, instructing them to enforce the directive in their respective jurisdictions.

This measure will be in effect from October 5 to October 16, 2024, during which no police personnel or officers will be allowed to take leave, except in special cases.

The decision was made following directives from Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Alok Raj. The state government is prioritising maintaining peace and preventing any communal tensions during the festivities, a time when large gatherings and religious celebrations could pose security challenges.

Durga Puja is a major cultural and religious event in eastern India, especially in states like West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand, where large numbers of people participate in the 10-day festivities. The celebration, marked by vibrant processions, rituals, and gatherings, requires heightened security due to the size of the crowds and the significance of the event.

In light of the recent crisis in neighbouring Bangladesh, authorities in Bihar are on high alert, particularly in the sensitive Seemanchal districts like Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnea, and Araria, which are near the international border. These areas are especially vulnerable to communal tensions and security challenges during large-scale religious events.

Additionally, districts such as Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Munger, West Champaran, East Champaran, Darbhanga, and other parts of North and Central Bihar are considered vulnerable during religious celebrations, prompting increased vigilance by the authorities. These districts have historically seen communal tensions, making proactive measures crucial to ensure peace and harmony during the Durga Puja festivities.

A 22-year-old man was shot dead and at least 13 police personnel and 7 people were injured in a stone palting and firing during the idol immersion procession in Munger on October 26, 2020, at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Chowk in the city.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ireland Embassy in New Delhi has announced a cultural collaboration for Kolkata’s iconic Durga Puja festival to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Irish and Indian artists are working together to create a spectacular pandal to honour the Hindu goddess Durga and the Celtic goddess Danu.

This collaboration brings together Macnas, a celebrated Irish arts collective from Galway, and Kolkata’s renowned Behala Nutan Dal, a cultural organisation famous for its innovative Durga Puja celebrations.

“Ireland and India share a strong and growing partnership that transcends diplomatic relations,” said Ireland’s Ambassador to India, Kevin Kelly, in a press release. “Our peoples are connected through education, culture and shared values. As we mark 75 years of friendship, we are committed to strengthening these ties further, especially as bath nations explore new opportunities in trade, technology and culture.”

The centrepiece of the pandal will feature a large installation representing the Irish goddess Danu, designed by Macnas artists Johnny O’Reilly, Lisa Sweeney and Richard Babbington, working closely with Indian lead artist Sanjib Saha.

“We have come here to Kolkata to collaborate with Behala Nutan Dal on creating their pandal for the Durga Puja,” Macnas artists shared in a video shared by the embassy. “Our aim is to help develop creations of the pandals to mix Macnas identity and traditional Indian aesthetics to try and create a sort of artistic approach.”

The pandal’s design will incorporate Irish festival motifs, including elements from Samhain, Beltane, Imbolc and Lughnasadh, alongside Indian artistic elements.

Listen in as Johnny O’Reilly and Richard Babbington from @Macnas dive into the collaboration with Behala Nutan Dal and artist Sanjib Saha for Kolkata Durga Puja 2024 to celebrate 75 years of Ireland-India diplomatic relations ????????????????#IrelandIndia75pic.twitter.com/kg1PpDhmAy

— Irish Embassy India (@IrlEmbIndia) September 26, 2024

This partnership is part of broader celebrations commemorating the growing ties between Ireland and India. From trade to education and now culture, the relationship between the two nations continues to flourish. Over the past decade, the number of Indian students in Ireland has grown tenfold, and Irish businesses are increasingly looking to India’s dynamic market for new opportunities.

The Durga Puja pandal at Behala Nutan Dal promises to be a significant cultural exchange. As Ambassador Kelly noted, “Durga Puja is one of the most awe-inspiring festivals I have ever witnessed. We are thrilled to see Irish and Indian artists come together in celebration.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced government assistance of Rs 85,000 for each community Durga Puja organiser in the state. 

Last year, the state government gave Rs 70,000 to each community Durga Puja organiser in West Bengal. The Chief Minister also said that next year the amount will be hiked by another Rs 15,000, which will take it to Rs 1 lakh. 

All licences given to puja organisers will be free of cost and this year there will be a 75% discount on electricity fees for the organisers. It is estimated that the government will be spending at least Rs 340 crore this year on financial assistance to puja organisers. 

The West Bengal Chief Minister announced during an administrative and coordination meeting with Durga Puja organisers. Around 43,000 registered community Durga Pujas are held across the state with around 15,000 of them believed to be in Kolkata and surrounding areas alone. 

Explaining why she cannot hike the amount in one go, Ms Banerjee said, “The Budget was announced today and Bengal was given nothing. No matter how sad we are, we will never say no to times of celebration.”

The Chief Minister has also cautioned puja organisers on safety measures as the festival which has earned the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity tag draws huge crowds. The Chief Minister also asked them to share their plans with the administration for proper planning and crowd management.  “I saw an ad which states that a 112-foot-tall Durga idol will be set up. Can you imagine? Don’t you think that this can create a stampede-like situation? The clubs need to be careful so that no such situation happens,” the Chief Minister said. 

“There should be no issue regarding the security of women. The specially-abled people should be taken care of. Multiple entry and exit points should be made available in the pandals to avoid accidents in case of emergencies. Police, district, state and puja committee control rooms should be present so in case there are some issues, coordination is easier,” the Chief Minister added.

The BJP, on earlier occasions, has been critical of the move to give money to Durga Puja organisers and had hit out at Ms Banerjee’s decision last year to hike the state’s financial assistance to the clubs last year, to Rs 70,000. 

It led to a showdown, with the BJP alleging that she was misusing public funds to secure votes. In 2018, when Ms Banerjee started the assistance scheme, the amount was Rs 10,000 and has been gradually increased over the years.

Kolkata:

Asserting that the recently-concluded Durga Puja was “peaceful”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that the state witnessed business of over Rs 85,000 crore and employment generation for around 3 lakh people during the festivities.

Referring to a survey by the British Council which stated that West Bengal recorded a business of Rs 72,000 crore during this year’s Durga Puja, a seemingly happy Mamata Banerjee said she hoped that the business will grow in the coming years.

“Durga Puja has reached a new height this year. In the coming years, we will organise it in a bigger way. A British Council research stated that this year, there was business of around Rs 72,000 crore but I believe that it will be around Rs 80,000 crore to Rs 85,000 crore. Over 3 lakh job opportunities were created, which is a big gain for the poor,” Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat.

“Last time, some people moved the court because I had given some funds to clubs. I give money to the clubs because they do social work. If I can earn Rs 72,000 crore by spending Rs 300 crore then it should be an economic model. All the money may not come to us, but it’s good that so many people have earned it,” she said.

The Mamata Banerjee government provided financial aid of Rs 70,000 to each of the 40,000 clubs that organised Durga Puja this year.

Mamata Banerjee also lauded the people of the state, administration and the police for “peaceful” Durga Puja celebrations.

“Durga Puja was held peacefully and the credit goes to the clubs, housing societies, media, administration, police and civic society. People from all religions participated in the celebration and not a single incident was reported from anywhere in the state,” she said.

Mamata Banerjee, who was on “restricted movement” for swelling in her left knee after returning from a 12-day trip to Spain and the UAE, said, “My infection had turned septic due to wrong treatment. I could not move out of my bed for seven days.” The Chief Minister said that despite her injuries, she had attended office from home.

“Despite all these hurdles, I had gone through the papers that reached me from my office every day. I held meetings with various officials,” she said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was seen breaking into a dance holding an oar along with women participants at the Durga Puja Carnival in Kolkata’s Red Road on Friday.

The Chief Minister was seen moving the oar sideways trying to match the steps of the other dancers who were imitating the action of a boatman. The dancers were dancing to an iconic Bengali song composed by Salil Chowdhury.

Mamata Banerjee was also seen swaying her arms to the tune of ‘Namo Durge’ along with Tollywood celebrities.

Among other attractions, the Durga Puja Carnival demonstrated ‘Panchadurga’ that was the theme of the goddess by the Kamdahari Purbapara Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity in its 70th year.

UNESCO on December 15 inscribed “Durga Puja in Kolkata” on the “Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”.

Celebrated in Shukla Paksha of the month Ashwin in the Hindu calendar (September-October), Durga Puja is the major annual festival in West Bengal. It is also celebrated in other parts of India and especially amongst the Bengali community.

The significance of Durga Puja goes beyond religion and is revered as the celebration of compassion, brotherhood, humanity, art and culture. The city of Kolkata turns into a dazzling diva with the decoration of colourful lights.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Jamshedpur:

Two persons were killed and four others suffered injuries on Tuesday when a truck fell on the people who were in a procession for immersion of the idol of goddess Durga in Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur city on Tuesday evening, Health Minister Banna Gupta said.

The incident occurred at Bodhanwala ghat under Bistupur police station when the truck was negotiating a slope.

Two persons died in Tata Main Hospital where four other injured are under treatment, the health minister said in a statement issued after visiting the healthcare facility.

The condition of two of the injured is stated to be serious.

All the victims were members of the Kitadih Puja Committee in Bagbera area here, police said adding that they were in the immersion procession.

Gupta asked East Singhbhum District Civil Surgeon Dr Jujhar Majhi and the hospital authorities to ensure proper treatment of the injured.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren condoled the death of the two persons during the immersion of the idols.

“May God grant peace to the departed souls and give strength to the bereaved family members to bear this grief. The district administration is providing medical aid to the injured people. I wish speedy recovery to all the injured.” The district administration appealed to the devotees to take care of their safety on a priority basis during the immersion.

A huge crowd thronged the roads of Steel City here to witness immersion processions taken out by over 200 community Durga puja committees.

Immersion of idols is underway in different ghats amid tight security. While divers were engaged in ghats as a precautionary measure, the police are using drones to keep a vigil on miscreants. 

Gopalgunj:

Two women and a child died and more than ten people were injured in a stampede at a crowed pandal durga Puja celebrations in Bihar’s Gopalgunj on Monday late evening.

The stampede broke out at the Raja Dal Durga Puja pandal during ‘Maha Navami’ celebrations and revelry, police said.

The injured pandal-hoppers were admitted to Sadar Hospital, the police said, adding that there was no security deployment at the pandal to manage crowds, which led to the stampede.

Speaking to ANI, the Gopalganj SP said, “There was a stampede near the gate of Raja Dal Puja Pandal around 8.30 pm. A child fell to the ground and was trampled upon as the revellers ran helter-skelter. Two women rushed to the child’s rescue but also ended up being trampled upon by the crowds. The women gasped for air and succumbed while being rushed to a hospital. The local magistrate and a police team arrived at the spot and took control of the situation.”

#WATCH | Bihar: Gopalganj District Magistrate Nawal Kishor Choudhary says, “There are several pandals in the state as it is Durga Navami today. A child fell due to the crowd at the pandal and two women trying to save him also fell and could not get up…They died while they were… pic.twitter.com/jC8NGV8KwR

— ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2023

Police officials said that the accident happened due to excessive crowding at the gate of the Puja pandal.
Further details are awaited.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Guwahati:

Ahead of the Durga Puja festival, the Assam government on Tuesday has decided to provide Rs 10,000 to each 6953 puja pandals across the state as grants-in-aid.

The decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting held in Guwahati under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Announcing the cabinet decisions, Assam Tourism Minister Jayanta Mall Baruah said that, Rs 10,000 each would be given to 6953 puja pandals as grants-in-aid.

“The state cabinet also decided that all cabinet ministers will stay for 5 days and 5 nights at a particular village from December 25 to January 10, 2024. Foundation stones will be laid for 400 new buildings of high and higher secondary schools and of these 100 will be completely new schools in tea garden areas. For the renovation of buildings of old schools, Rs 7 crore will be allocated to each school and foundation stones to be laid from December 25 to January 10, 2024. The 5 villages will be chosen from 5 different zones. During their stay, the Ministers will assess practical implementation of welfare schemes, including the level of saturation achieved in such schemes,” Mr Baruah said.

Mr Baruah said that the state cabinet has also taken the decision of settlement of land in favour of 123 indigenous, landless families (105 families of Charaideo and 18 families of Darrang) for homestead purposes in urban areas under Mission Basundhara 2.0. The offer of settlement has already been issued to more than 55,000 landless families after approval from respective district SDLACs and oversight by Guardian Ministers.

“The state cabinet also approved the Holiday list for 2024, to strengthen its financial health, outstanding loan amount of Rs 54 crore and outstanding interest of Rs 10.92 crore as on March 31, 2023 of Assam Financial Corporation to be converted towards equity capital of the Corporation, Opt-In and Opt-Out options for Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) to be provided to doctors under Health Department once every 5 years of service length w.e.f. 1 January 2024. NPA will be rolled out to all doctors working under the Health Department from the rank of M&HO-I to the rank of DHS, uniform retirement date for Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers in mini Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), the date of relinquishment of services for all Anganwadi Workers and Helpers in mini AWCs will be April 30 of the year on or just after completion of 60 years of age, and their services shall be discontinued accordingly.” Minister Baruah further said.

Mr Baruah further said that to boost renewable power, the state cabinet decided that, the 24-MW Karbi Langpi Middle-II Hydro Power Project would be implemented at a revised cost of Rs 417.32 crore and it will also generate employment opportunities for 150 people during the construction phase and 44 people during the operation phase.

“To strengthen AIDC, the state cabinet decided to effectively utilize HPCL’s resources investment of Rs 758.75 crore made by Assam government under Grants-in-Aid towards acquisition of assets and payment of relief package to be converted as an equity investment by Assam government in AIDC, limit of authorized share capital of AIDC to be enhanced from existing Rs 150 crore to Rs 1000 crore to accommodate the proposed investment of Assam government and this is to strengthen and empower AIDC as a premier industrial development corporation,” he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

A group of twenty artists have camped in New Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park and are busy creating idols of Goddess Durga. The idols, made with clay, will be immersed in the river Yamuna on the tenth day of the festival celebrated as victory of good over evil as Goddess Durga killed the demon King Mahishasur. According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that the goddess visits the Earth during this time to bless her devotees.

Preparations for the ten-day festival begins months in advance. Funds are collected with corporate sponsorships and donations to help build pandals around contemporary themes and engage priests and artisans.

Durga Puja, is celebrated from 6 days in some parts of the country, to 10 days in others. In most of Northern India, the festival is celebrated as Navratri (nine nights). Regardless of these variations, the last four days of Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijay Dashami, are particularly important and accordingly celebrated with much splendor around the country.

The goddess, known to Hindus as the ‘destroyer of evil’, is characterised by her ten arms in which she carries various weapons while sitting on a lion. Also known as Bhavani, Amba, Chandika, Gauri, Parvati, Mahishasuramardini, Durga is the ‘Mother goddess’ and the ‘Protector of the Righteous’ to Hindu devotees.

In most parts of the country, the festival commemorates the victory of the goddess over a demon called Mahishasura. As told by Hindu mythology, the demon was set out to wage war against the gods and it was up to Goddess Durga to slay him and protect earth. She began her battle against the demon on the seventh day of Navratri, known as Maha Saptami and slayed him by the final day of Vijay Dashami.

The festival is celebrated with song and dance, fasting followed by feasts, elaborate decorations and pujas or grand ceremonies at temples and religious recitals. In some parts of the country young girls dress up as the goddess and participate in various rituals at temples and homes.